r ? 


S.C.  Sortt-erf  ie  Id . 


The,  Lite  rar,  7? elections 


A 


Of  /Iclchsor-i  find  H «s 
Chief1  Co  ntem  joor'a  . 


THE  LITERARY  RELATIONS  OF  ADDISON  AND  HIS 
CHIEF  CONTEMPORARIES 


BY 


STACEY  CORBIN  SATTERFIELD 
A.  B.  Wheaton  College,  1920 


THESIS 

Submitted  in  Partial  Fulfillment 
of  the  Requirements  for  the 

Degree  of 

MASTER  OF  ARTS 

IN  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE  AND  LITERATURE 

IN 

THE  GRADUATE  SCHOOL 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


1921 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/literaryrelationOOsatt 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  QUEEN  ANNE  AGE 

CHAPTER  II 

1687  - 1709 

CHAPTER  III 


1709  - 

1719 

CHAPTER  IV 

ADD  I SOU*  S POSITION  IN  HIS  AGE  IN 

SUMMARY  AND  CONCLUSION 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


THE  LITERARY-  RELATIONS  OF  ADDISON  AND  HIS  CHIEF  CONTEMPORARIES 


I 


CHAPTER  ONE 
THE  QUEEN  ANNE  AGE 

The  general  c barac ter i sties  of  English  literature  and  social  life  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  eighteenth  century  were  the  natural  results  of  the  conditions 
immediately  following  the  period  of  the  Restoration.  There  were  at  this  time 
two  distinct  classes  of  society,  apparently  so  irreconcilable  that  they  seemed 
like  two  nations.  There  was  the  remnant  of  the  old  order  which  still  cherished 
the  renascence  ideals  of  self  assertion  and  irresponsibility  in  ^11  reared, 
and  moral,  and  social  oblig'd  ions,  thrt  had  gained  ro  nrominent  - ro^'tion 
during  the  Restoration.  But  on  hue  o t Jr r hand  rhoro  v^s  the  sob  : r,  conscien- 
tious, middle  class  in  all  these  metiers  in  drect  opoo  ri  ion  o the  upper  class 
and  its  imitators.  This  citizen  class  had  held  aloof  from  culture  and  cor- 
ruption since  the  Tudor  times.  These  people,  with  their  own  moral,  religious, 
and  ethical  standards,  we  re  no  longer  the  unconsidered  masses  of  the  previous 

generation:  the  civil  war  had  given  them  a new  political  and  commercial  im- 

(1) 

portancel  It  was  to  this  class  the  periodical,  the  great  literary  achieve- 
ment of  the  age,  was  addressed. 

In  these  days  coffee-houses,  which  were  not  new  institutions  in  ^usen  Anne's 

reign,  were  among  the  most  influential  institutions  of  English  life  in  this 

century  and  in  it  reached  the  zenith  of  their  popularity.  The  coffee-house 

was  the  center  of  news,  the  lounge  of  the  idler,  the  rendezvous  for  appoint- 

1.  ‘ Cambridge  History  of  English  Literature', IX 
Christie, ’’The  Age  of  Dryden.:'  pp.  66-68 


' 


: 


(2)  2. 
merits,  a convenient  post-office  for  its  patrons,  and  the  coamon  place  of  re- 
sort for  masculine  society  of  all  classes  and  professions. 

Among  those  oftonest  mentioned  were  Caraway's,  where  tea  was  first  retailed; 
the  Jerusalem,  one  of  the  earliest  news  rooms;  Jonathan’s,  the  resort  of  the 
brokers  in  ’Change  Alley’;  Tom’s  in  Cornhill;  Dick’s  and  Will’s.  At  this 
last  named  house  it  was  c us  tomary  for  men  of  literary  tastes  and  professional 
men  to  gather.  Swift  and  Addison,  as  well  as  Steele  and  Congfleve,  were  fre- 
quent guests.  The  cui’rent  gossip  of  the  book  shops  nl  the  theatre  circul- 
(6)  (3) 

ated  here  among  the  stalls.  We  find  this  gossip  of  the  coffee-house  given 

# » 

in  the’journal  to  Stella  along  with  that  of  he  Cabinet  and.  the  parlor, 

[) 

Students  from  the  University,  clergymen  in  go  n r nd  cassock,  scribblers 
thronged  the  rooms,  olue  with  tobacco  smoke,  where  they  chatted  am  listened  in 
turn.  It  was  in  this  very  atmosphere  that  the  ' Tati er*1  was  born. 

Among  these  patrons,  one  of  the  most  notaole  ^nd  influential  figures  at 
Will’s  was  pryden;  tere  he  occupied  the  seat  of  honor  in  his  day,  having  his 
chair  placed  bn  a balcony  in  summer,  and  in  winter  occupying  the  warmest  nook  in 
the  room.  Here  it  was  that  Pope,  a boy  of  twelve  years,  was  brought  to  look  on 
the  great  man  and  hear  him  talk.  Dry  den*  s influence  was  noticeable  in  the 
field  of  letters  throughout  the  first  half  of  the  century.  French  models,  as 

2.  ’’Presto  ben* t angry,  faith,  not  a bit  only  he  will  be  in  pain  next  Irish 

Post,  except  he  sees  M.D.’s  little  handwriting  in  the  glass  frame  at  the 
bar  of  St.  James’s  Coffee-House,  where  Presto  would  never  go  but  for  that 
purpose.”  Swift “Journal  to  Stella. "Bohn  ed.  pp. 102-103. 

3.  Ashton  -"Social  Life  in  the  Deign  of  Queen  Anne.”  London  1890  - pp. 166-173. 

4.  ’’There  are  statutes  to  prohibit  all  scholars,  of  what  kind  of  degree  so  ever, 
from  frequenting  townsmen’s  houses  by  day  or  by  night ; and  particularly  from 
frequenting  any  inns,  cook-shops,  taverns,  or  other  public  houses  within 
the  university  or  the  precincts  thereof,  in  which  wine  or  ny  liquor  (5) 

or  tobacco  is  commonly  sold  under  severe  penalty i r-m  at  r loss  to 

determine  whether  the  observation  of  these  statues  is  more  neglected  than 
they  are  unreasonable.”  Amhurst,  ’’Terra e Filius”  or  "Secret  Hit  ory  of 
Oxford."  London  1726  - p,£ 63. 

5.  "These  coffe  -houses  sold  alcoholic  liquors  as  veil  ss  coffee.”  Ashton, 
"Social  Life  in  the  Reign  of  Queen  Anne.”  p.  163. 


* 


1. 

. 


( ’ . 


■ ~ »~r  iiiVm 


interpreted  by  him,  and  French  fashions  of  literary  style  end  composition  were 
imitated  by  the  writers  of  drama  and  poetry  who  followed  him.  Dryden  was  also 
an  advocate  of  the  classics  ani  did  much  tov/ard  advancing  their  influence  in 
England.  This  reverence  for  and  imitation  of  classic  writers  was  naturally 
accompanied  by  a decrease  in  originality  and  creative  wonts.  But  while  poetry 
lost  its  spontaneity  and  imagination  and  became  artificial  it  gained  in  correct- 
ness of  form  and  finish  - the  element  of  highest  value  in  its  later  develop- 
ment. On  tne  other  hand,  the  development  of  prose  during  this  period  was 
truly  remarkable;  this  development  of  prose  seems  to  have  been  the  mission  of 
the  age,  and  it  was  prose  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  word.  For  the  most  part 
the  verse  of  the  age  would  have  lost  little  if  it  bad  been  cast  into  the  mould 
of  prose,  for  it  is  practically  devoid  of  any  lyric  qualities, 

Dryden* s influence  in  this  prose  development  was  considerable.  He  had  set 
excellent  examples  of  centra  kinds;  tY-r  t is,  he  had  shown  the  • ry  +0  rdjust 
prose  writing  that  would  bo  familiar  yet  not  vulgar  0 well-bred  end  modem 
conversation.  But  it  was  left  to  lrter  essayists  to  complete  and  -perfect  this 
work. 

In  another  literary  field  there  was  a great  change  in  this  age.  The  theatre, 
that  powerful  regulator  of  the  general  tone  of  thinking  and  action,  was  domin- 
ated at  the  beginning  of  the  centoAlfy  by  the  writers  who  had  been  educated  in 
the  dramatic  school  of  Charles  II  and  who  used  their  talents  to  vitiate  all 
the  sources  of  morality,  to  inculcate  debauchery,  and  paint  vice  in  all  its 
grossness  with  wit  and  imagination.  The  dramas  of  Dryden,  Wycherly,  Congreve, 
Farquhar,  and  Vanbrugh  were  the  panders  of  wantonness  and  profligacy.  (6)  The 
historian  of  literature  and  the  student  of  drama  have  to  read  them,  and  they 
are  not  quite  the  worst  things  that  they  have  to  read;  but  there  is  little  of 

6.  "The  ladies  were  then  observed,  to  be  decently  afraid  of  venturing  bare- 
faced to  a new  comedy, ’till  they  had  been  assured  they  might  do  it,  without 
the  Risque  of  an  insult,  to  their  modesty."  Cibber  - "An  Apology  for  the 
Life  of  Mr.  Colly  Cibber  written  by  Himself."  London  1939.  p.154. 


* 

- 


' 


' 


4 


value  or  enjoyment  to  be  found  in  t:iem.  This  is  tne  deplortule  situation  that 
the  Queen  Anne  writers  found,  and  set  about  to  correct  at  once. 

The  manners  of  the  age  were  coarse  and  moral  standards  still  suffered  from 
the  orgie  of  the  preceding  age  and  its  degrading  influence;  but  the  literature 
of  the  eighteenth  century  is  far  from  being  immoral.  The  frankness  and  real- 
ism that  characterize  it  should  be  interjjreted  not  too  critically  but  in  the 
light  of  the  obvious  purpose  to  inform  and  to  correct.  All  the  essayists  were 
moralists  and  looked  upon  life  with  a pleasant  perception  and  understanding  of 
its  humors  as  well  as  of  its  frailties.  In  no  unkindly  spirit  they  satirized 
the  follies  and  reproved  the  faults  of  their  contemporaries.  Their  sincerity 
in  this  matter  is  proved  by  the  respect  for  virtue  which  they  introduced  and 

the  rousing  of  society  to  an  appreciation  of  moral  character,  religion,  and 

XT' 

the  rights  of  others  as  well  as  the  best  in  literature. 

Another  characteristic  of  the  age  is  that  it  war  'rim^rily  p mrn*r  age,  out 
Addison  and  Steele  did  much  to  give  woman  r r>l  ce  •'nr5  interest  in  literature. 

The  position  of  women  in  general  was  not  pier  rant.  Fem-rle  chrrrcter  rince  the 
middle  ages  had  been  one  of  the  favorite  jutts  of  pop  hr  satire,  end,  all 
through  the  two  preceding  centuries  savage  invectives  against  the  moral  charac- 
ter of  women  had  been  common.  During  this  age  their  ijosition  was  greatly  ira- 
proved.  Women  began  to  be  recognized  as  a political  and  social  force  in  society 
an  evidence  of  this  is  the  fact  that  the  Tatlesrs  and  spectators  were  addressed 

as  often  to  .the  "fair -sex”  as  to  men.  But  among  the  higher  classes,  there  was 

(?) 

still  much  to  be  deplored  in  their  occupation,  education,  and  conduct.  Women 
v/ere  at  a disadvantage  due  to  tneir  lack  of  education;  there  were  very  few  wo- 
men with  sufficient  learning  to  attempt  any  literary  work.  Addison  very  aptly 
• • • '* 

states  their  position  in"Spectator  llo.  IP*  "You  men  are  writers,  and  can  re- 

7.  "The  women  in  t/iese  higher  circles,  read  and  thought  of  little  but  erotic 
French  romances,  wore  false  eyebrows  and  jiatches,  painted  themselves,  ges- 
ticulated with  their  fans  and  eyes,  intrigued  in  politics  and  passed  their 
time  in  dalliance."  "Cambridge  History  of  Erglish  Literature."  IX,  29. 


. 


5 


present  us  women  as  unbecoming  as  you  xjleasa  in  your  works  while  we  are  unable 
to  return  the  injury."  It  was  taken  for  granted  that  woman  was  a fool  or  at 
least  that  she  should  be  flattered  if  any  man  condescends  to  talk  intelligently 
to  her. 

Apart  from  church  going,  opera,  playing  cards,  and  tea,  women  of  the  middle 
class  had  little  entertainment  or  means  to  amuse  themselves.  There  was  prac- 
tically no  home  life  as  the  men  spent  their  leisure  hours  at  the  coffee-houses, 
clubs,  taverns,  and  plays. 

Another  noticeable  characteristic  of  the  ge  is  the  influence  of  politics 
and  political  writing  upon  the  literature  of  the  period.  After  the  Be-  olution 
in  1688  popular  interest  and  concern  n government  re-  ■ n':  men  of  11  classes 
began  to  study  the  conduct  of  tne  government.  Tie  result  of  the  free  speech 
and  individual  thinking  during  the  reign  of  King  William  was  the  growth  of  well 
organized  parties  which  began  to  displace  in  power  the  small  groups  of  auto- 
cratic leaders.  This  change  was  not  fully  accomplished  at  the  accession  of 
Anne,  but  opinions  of  the  city  were  powerful  in  shaping  the  politics  of  min- 
isters, and  transition  had  appeared  in  all  social  and  literary  activity.  Men 
of  letters  began  to  adapt  their  work  to  current  demands,  and  the  conception  of 
popular  government  permeated  all  the  cultivated  groups  of  the  city.  As  a rule 
the  writer  of  the  age  of  £ueen  Anne  selected  a political  topic  because  to  do  so 
was  profitable.  There  has  never  been  an  age  when  tbs  man  of  letters  had  such  a 
great  influence  politically  as  he  had  at  this  time.  HQ  courted  and  was  courted 
by  state  officials  and  political  leaders  and  his  influence  in  politics  was  pow- 
erful. High  political  positions  were  given  him  for  his  literary  efforts  in 
behalf  of  the  state  or  his  party.  The  government  or  the  -arty  in  power  feared 

i (8) 

the  literary  men  of  the  o nosing  party,  thus  refoe  “hen  he  became  a menace, 
was  employed  by  the  government,  then  under  the  control  of  I e gorier.  Writers 

8.  Beljame,  nLe  Public  et.  les  Hommer  ae  Lettree  en  Angle (er re  13th  Siecle. 

Paris,  2nd  Ed.  1397.  p.  231. 


ff 


. 


‘ 


- 


6 


have  never  had  so  brilliant  or  easy  life.  They  passed  from  a life  of  uncertain- 
ty and  little  esteem  to  positions  of  honor  and  seourity;  they  found  themselves 
occupying  plaoes  of  high  sooial  rank.  In  view  of  these  facts  it  is  not  strange 
that  political  interests  seem  to  have  been  the  prevailing  one  in  the  minds  of 
literary  men  in  the  first  decade  of  the  eighteenth  oentury.  It  was  during 
this  first  deoaae  that  the  book  trade  was  put  on  a stable  and  profitable  basis. 

The  oopyright  law  was  passed  and  \pdiolesiAe  piracy  by  printers  was  oheoked. 

Though  the  age  is  famous  for  the  growth  of  party  organisation  and  party 
influence  the  political  writings  were  not  as  virulent  as  those  of  the  preceding 
age.  The  literary  expression  of  this  intense  party  spirit,  while  bitter  enough 
in  the  satires  of  Swift,  was  by  no  means  so  abusively  personal  as  it  had  been 
in  the  political  writings  of  Dryden.  Nor  was  there  anything  that  corresponded 
to  the  brutality  exhibited  in  the  literary  battles  of  the  Puritans  and  Cavaliers 
Argument,  for  this  was  the  age  of  reason,  and  reason  rather  than  abuse  became  the 
weapon  of  attack;  wit  superseded  malicious  vulgarity;  and  men  aimed  to  be  po- 
lite - at  least  in  the  form  of  expression  - even  in  the  heat  of  debate. 

Closely  connected  with  the  political  situation  and  interest  was  another 
notable  feature  of  the  age,  and  importance  and  part  of  the  literary  patron.  At 
the  head  of  the  number  stands  Lord  Somers,  who  never  neglected  an  opportunity  to 

reward  and  promote  writers  of  merit,  next  to  him  comes  Lord  Halifax,  who  was  not 

( 9 ) ( 10  ) 

unknown  in  his  age  as  an  author.  Swift  and  Pope  have  ridiouled  him  as  a 
patron,  but  he  was  a munificent  benefaotor,  and  Addison,  Congreve,  Newton, 

Prior,  and  Stepney  were  all  indebted  to  him. 

In  the  Tory  ministry,  which  succeeded  that  of  these  Whig  patrons,  Somers 
and  Halifax,  Lords  Bolingbroke  and  Oxford  encouraged  men  of  letters,  and  favored 
the  learned,  regardless  of  party  adherenoe,  and  in  many  cases  amply  rewarded  them 
for  their  “abilities  in  the  republic  of  letters. ^ The  leader  of  both  parties 

(9)  Swift,  "Works”,  Bohn  ed.  X,  275. 

(10)  Pope,  "Epistle  to  Dr.  Arbuthnot."  11.223-24&. 

( 11  ) Mirabeau,  "Letters",  London,  1S32,  pp.!7#-179» 


' 


7 


lenew  the  value  of  attaching  to  themselves  the  service  of  the  ablest  writers  of 

(12) 

the  day.  It  became  their  policy  to  mingle  in  a democratic  way  with  men  of 
letters  and  promise  them  a share  in  the  political  spoils  to  be  obtained  by  the 
overthrow  of  their  rivals.  One  of  the  results  of  this  mingling  was  the  liter- 
ary-political clubs.  The  two  most  famous  being  the  Kit-Cat  of  the  y/higs  and  the 

Brothers*  of  the  Tories.  The  purpose  of  these  clubs  was  to  bring  leading  pol- 

(13) 

itical  men  and  authors  together  and  direct  the  patronage  of  literature. 

The  last  outstanding  characteristic  of  the  age  was  the  friendships  of  the  lit- 
erary men.  There  was  a kind  of  mutual  admiration  ten  ency  wh' ch  dip  ting  ashes 
small  coteries.  One  centered  around  Addisdra  md  smother  scout  Shift.  The  men 
of  these  circles  held  each  other,  and  parti culrrly  uis  more  prominent  members  of 
the  group,  in  high  esteem.  They  took  up  he  cudgells  for  each  other  frequently 
in  the  literary  and  political  quarrels  of  the  time. 

The  results  of  these  close  and  friendly  relations  v/ere  works  produced  in  con- 
junction, patronage  of  the  younger  writers  by  those  of  established  reputation, 

and  criticism  of  each  others  works.  They  seemed  to  find  in  themselves  self- 

114) 

sufficiency  and  dismissed  the  past  with  complacent  contempt. 


12.  “Cos  hommes,  (Halifax  and  Somers)  qui  ^venaient  de  voir  de  leurs  propres  yevuc 
quel  effet  un  ecrit  heureux  porwait  deja  avoir  sur  1* opinion,  qui  se  rappel- 
aient  comment  Dryden  avait  arret^  les  Whigs  dans  leur  premier  triumphe, 
comment  luim&me  avait  ete  refcdu  impuissant  par  les  replPques  des  y/higs , qui 
avaient  personnellement,  par  leurs  orurages,  contribue'a  sa  de^aite,  devaient 
montier  et  montrerent  une  sympathie  parti culiere  aux  ecrivans.  Par  eux  il 
s’etablit  dans  les  region,  ministerielies  une  tradition  de  protection  aux 
lettres  a laquelle  leurs  successeurs  se  conform^rent  et  qui  dura  plus  de 
trente  ans.M  Beljame  "Le  Public  et  Les  Hommes  De  Lettres."  pp. 227-228. 

13.  "St. John’s  Letter  to  Orrery".  June  11th,  1711. 

14.  "To  all  but  a few  the  Prince  of  drama  and  the  grand  duke  of  the  epic  were 
in  spirit  what  taeir  works  were  a little  later  in  fact  - handsomely  bound 
Volumes  to  lie  on  a drawing  room  table." 

Saintsbury,  "Peace  of  the  Augustan  Age".  London,  1916,  pp.3-4 


CHAPTER  II 


1687-1710 

Of  the  private  life  and  real  character  of  Addison  there  is  little  known; 
unfortunately  there  was  only  one  Boswell  in  that  century.  Pope  gives  us  the 
most  interesting  and  vivid  picture  of  the  active  and  interesting  period  of  our 
author’s  life*  but  Pope  cannot  be  relied  upon  even  in  relation  to  his  friends, 
and  he  was  not  friendly  with  Addison  when  he  wrote  about  him.  We  know,  how- 
ever, that  the  life  of  a literary  man  is  not  often  exciting  or  crowded  with 
dramatic  incidents  and  to  the  general  rule  the  life  of  Addison  was  no  excep- 
tion. Though  he  was  always  in  the  midst  of  things  snd  took  an  active  n?rt  in 
the  politics  of  the  day,  he  seemed  to  hold  himself  ^loof  from  t e current  vio- 
lent partisanship  and  strife,  nevertheless,  he  must  have  possessed  n fine 
and  charming  personality  to  attract,  as  he  did,  men  of  such  widely  divergent 
types  as  Steele,  Swift,  and  Pope,  and  to  exert  upon  them  such  a potent  influ- 
ence. 

In  1687  Addison  entered  Queen’s  College  at  Oxford  where  he  devoted  himself 
diligently  to  the  classic  authors,  both  Latin  and  Greek,  but  chiefly  to  the 
Latin  poets.  His  classical  ability  brought  him  to  the  attention  of  Dr.  Lan- 
caster, Provost  of  Queen's  College,  who  obtained  for  him  in  1689  a damyship 

(1) 

at  Magdalen  College  where  he  remained  until  he  went  abroad  ten  years  later. 

Of  Addison’s  college  life  and  friends  there  are  very  few  records  left.  We 
(1)  Aitken,  George,  ’’Life  and  Works  of  Arbuthnot,"  Oxford,  1892,  p.  17. 


; 


. 

• • 

, 


* 


• • . . 


, - i 


(2) 

know  that  he  was  an  industrious  student  and  that  he  was  generally  liked.  (The 

grounds  at  the  rear  of  Magdalen  were  very  popular  with  scholars  in  those  days, 

and  there  is  one  particular  patfc.  under  the  elms  which  fringe  the  meadow  on  the 

banks  of  Cherwell  which  is  still  known  as  Addison’s  walk.  Furthermore,  our 

author  has  left  a Latin  poem  on  the  bowling  green  of  Magdalen,  “JTiclcell  in  his 

poem  on  Oxford,  speaks  of "Magdalen* s peaceful  bowers,"  where,  "ever:  mure  tps 

fond  of  Addison."  Among  the  friends  of  Addison  during  hi r Uni vers  iy  re  si dene 

we  find  the  names  of  hr.  Davenant,  the  author  of  the  "Pol  c.l  Arithmetic," 

so  celebrated  at  the  time.  Colonel  Frowde,  Boulter,  who  was  later  Archoishop 

(3) 

of  Dublin,  and  probably  Sacheverell.  Addison’s  relation  with  the  literary 
men  of  the  university  is  shown  best  in  connection  with  the  "Musae  Anglicanae" 
which  was  first  published  in  1691. 

These  "Musae  Anglicanae"  include!*  eight  poems,  the  second  publication  of 
which  appeared  in  1695.  The  best  of  them  is  the  "Pygnaeo-Gerano-Machia," 
which  is  also  interesting  as  showing  traces  of  that  rich  vein  of  humor  which 
Addison  afterwards  exhibited  in  the  "Tatler"  and  "Spec ta tor •’*  The  mock- 
heroic  style  in  prose  and  verse  was  sedulously  cultivated  in  England  through- 
out the  eighteenth  century,  Swift,  Pope,  Arbuthnot,  and  Fielding  developed  it 
in  various  forms;  but  Addison’s  Latin  poem  is  one  of  the  first  compositions  in 
which  the  fine  fancy  and  invention,  afterwards  shown  in  the  "Rape  of  the  Lock*’ 
and  "Gulliver’s  Travels,"  conspicuously  displays  itself.  Several  of  the  Ox- 
ford men  of  letters  contributed  to  the  "Musae  Anglicanae"  among  whom  were 
Hannes,  a learned  physician  of  the  University;  John  Philips,  remembered  as  the 

(2)  "He  was  the  Delight  and  Darling  of  the  University,  courted  by  everybody, 

admir’d  and  imitat’d  by  the  best,  but  equall’d  ir.  fe^."  Jacob,  "Memoirs  of 
Joseph  Addison,"  London,  1719,  p.  3. 

(3)  Courthope,  "Joseph  Addison, " "English  Men  of  Letters  Series,"  N.  Y., 

1906,  V,  30. 


► / 


, 

, 

... 


10 


author  of  the  "Splended  Shilling"  and  “Cyder",  an  imitation  of  Virgil's 
" Georg i os,"  also  as  an  admirer  and  ohampion  of  Milton;  Alsop,  prominent  as  an 
antagonist  of  Bentley;  Edmund  (more  oommonly  known  as  "Rag"  ) Smith,  the  author 
of  the  "Ode  on  the  Deaih  of  Dr.  Paoook."  Smith  seems  to  have  been  among  the 
more  intimate  friends  of  Addison  and  may  well  be  remembered  with  him  on  aooount 
of  a similarity  in  their  literary  genius  and  the  extraordinary  difference  in 
their  fortunes.  Though  apparently  a man  of  unusual  ability  Smith  was  a lazy 
and  lioentious  fellow  who,  after  long  forbearance  on  the  part  of  the  university 
authorities,  was  finally  dismissed.  It  was  through  the  influence  of  Addison 


that  he  was  offered  the  opportunity  to  write  the  history  of  the  Revolution;  this 
task  he  declined  on  account  of  political  soruples.  Smith,  like  Addison,  in 
later  years  also  wrote  a olassio  tragedy,  but  it  had  not  the  political  signifi- 
cance of  "Cato"  and  was  unsuccessful.  Forthermore,  like  Addison,  he  had  the 
chance  to  profit  by  the  patronage  of  Halifax,  but  he  failed  to  keep  an  appoint- 
ment and  thus  lost  his  opportunity .( 4 ) While  still  a comparatively  young  man 
Smith  died  in  poverty. 

Addison's  relations  with  Dryden  began  with  the  appearanoe  of  Dryden's 
classical  translations  upon  whioh  Addison,  who  was  still  a demy  at  Magdalen,  ad- 
dressed a oopy  of  English  verse  of  congratulation.  This  verse  was  printed  in 
Dryden's  "Third  Misoellany"  and  in  the  following  year  Dryden  inserted  in  his 
"Fourth  Misoellany"  Addison's  translation  of  parts  of  the  fourth  "Georgia." 

It  was  through  the  old  poet,  no  doubt,  that  Addison  oame  to  know  Tonson,  the 
father  of  English  publishers,  who  had  for  some  time  been  a well  known  figure 
in  the  literary  world,<5>  m i697  Tonson  engaged  Addtscm>  who  beoame  pr0_ 

bat  ionary  fellow  this  year,  to  superintend  a translation  of  Herodotus. 


(4-)  Courthope,  “Addison,"  V,  37-39. 

(3)  Tonson  and  Lintot  were  the  principal  publishers  of  the  time.  Tonson  pur- 
chased the  copyright  of  "Paradise  Lost;"  he  published  Dryden's  works,  Addison's 
poems,  and  the  works  of  Congreve,  Otway,  Tate,  Pope,  Rowe's  edition  of  Shakespeare 
and  the  volumes  of  the  "Tatler"  and  "Spectator".  "National  Dictionary  of 
Bibliography,"  "Tonson."  y 


dS 


. 


11 


He  was  assisted  in  this  work  by  Dr.  Hannes,  Mr.  Boyle,  Dr.  Blaokmore,  and  Mr. 
Adams.  Some  difficulty  arose  in  the  undertaking  and  it  was  never  completed.^  ^ 
At  Tonson's  instance,  Addison  translated  the  seoond  book  of  the  "Metamorphoses," 
whioh  was  first  published  in  the  volume  of  "Misoellanies"  that  appeared  in  1697; 
but  he  had  no  great  love  for  Ovid  and  wrote  to  the  publisher  that  "Ovid  had 
so  many  silly  stories  with  his  good  ones  that  he  was  more  tedious  to  translate 
than  a better  poet  would  be."^7^ 

Addison  acquired  an  extensive  reputation  for  his  translations  of  the 
Latin  poets  and  for  his  own  compositions  in  that  language.  He  entered  into 
the  spirit  of  the  Latin  poets,  oopied  their  manner  with  admirable  skill,  and 
surpassed  all  their  British  imitators  who  had  preoeded  him,  Buohanan  and  Milton 
alone  exoepted.  Beyond  this  we  oannot  in  Justice  go  in  the  praise  of  his 
olassioal  ability.  How  slight  was  his  knowledge  of  Latin  prose  is  rather 
painfully  revealed  in  his  "Remarks  on  Italy"  and  the  "Evidences  of  Christianity." 
Addison  appears  to  have  been  very  partial  to  his  Latin  compositions  and 
collected  them  with  oare  in  two  volumes.  His  poem,  the  "Peace  of  Ryswick",  of 
1697,  dedicated  to  Montague,  was  praised  by  Edmund  Smith  - a high  authority  - 

/ Q \ 

as  "the  best  Latin  poem  3ince  the  'Aeneidi'"v 


(6)  This  ini erence  of  this  difficulty  is  that  some  of  Addison's  assistants  were 
unequal  to  the  task  or  at  least  never  exerted  themselves  to  complete  their 
portion  of  the  work.  Perhaps  the  following  passage  will  explain  the  difficulty: 
"Boyle  is  remembered  chiefly  as  the  nominal  author  of  the  worst  book  on  Greek 
history  and  philosophy  that  ever  was  printed;  and  this  book,  bad  as  it  is,  Boyle 
was  unable  to  produce  without  help.  Of  B1 aokmore 1 b attainments  in  the  ancient 
tongues  it  may  be  sufficient  to  say  that  in  his  prose  he  has  oonfounded  an 
aphorism  with  an  apothegm,  and  that,  when  in  his  verse  he  treats  of  classical 
subjects,  his  habit  is  to  regale  his  readers  with  four  false  quantities  to  a 
page."  Maoaulay,  "Addison,"  "Works,"  XVI,  67. 

( 7 ) Additon,  "Works,"  Bohn  ed.  London,  1911.  V,  321. 

(£)  Courthope,  "Addison,"  "English  Men  of  Letters  Series,"  V,37-3S. 


12 

It  was  through  his  Latin  poems  that  ha  later  gained  an  interview  with  the  old 
French  critic,  Boileau.  The  critic  probably  knew  or  cared  little  about  English 

(9) 

literature,  but  he  had  read  and  admired  Addison’s  Latin  verses.  By  the  time  of 

his  continental  tour,  Addison  was  well  known  both  in  London  and  abroad  for  his 

Latin  poems  and  had  taken  his  place  among  the  English  authors  of  his  time. 

The  character  of  the  literary  productions  of  Addison  in  these  first  years  of 

his  writing  were  largely  determined  by  his  friendships.  This  fact  is  very 

well  illustrated  by  his  next  publication,  a poem  to  Henry  Sacheverell,  MA 

Character  of  the  Greatest  English  Poets,"  from  which  number  he  cur'.ously  enough 

omits  Shakespeare  and  includes  Montague  , or  *rlifr>x  rs  he  ir  better  known. 

Before  he  became  a celebrity  as  a patron  of  liters ture,  and  a statesman,  Halifax 

had  paid  his  devotions  to  the  muses.  He  wrote  epigrams,  some  diffuse  verses  on 

the  death  of  Charles  II,  and  the  work  for  which  he  is  most  noted,  "The  Story  of 

, « 

the  Country  Mouse  and  the  City  Mouse,  a clever  burlesque  on  Bryden’ s "Hind  and 

the  Panther",  which  he  produced  in  conjunction  with  prior.  The  surest  way  to 

obtain  his  favor  was  to  praise  his  verses,  and  the  enrollment  of  his  name 

among  the  first  bards  of  England  was  a passport  to  promotion  which  Addison  pro-* 

bably  knew  he  could  obtain  and  did  not  choose  to  neglect.  Soon  after  writing' 

this  poem  he  was  introduced  by  Congreve  to  Halifax,  through  whose  xsrsuasion 

Addison  probably  gave  up  entering  the  ministry,  Halifax  was  so  in  earnest 

about  this  matter  that  he  wrote  to  the  head  of  Magdalen,  Dr,  Hough,  requesting 

him  to  insist  that  Addison  stay  out  of  the  church,  and  gave  as  a reason  the 

(10) 

great  need  for  educated  men  in  civil  service. 

Through  his  poem  to  the  king  in  1695  and  its  dedication  to  Lord  Somers, 

{ 9 i "It  is  easy,  we  think,  to  discover  in  the  "Spectator"  and  the  "Guardian" 
traces  of  the  influence,  in  part  §alut§ury  and  in  pferl  pernicious,  which 
tne  iiiiaa  ox  Boileau  .n.u.  on  one  mind  of  Addison."  Macaulay,  "Essay  on  ^ddisont 
XVI , 100  . 

liO)  Brake,  "Essayo  critical  and  Biographical,  " London,  1805,  I,  310. 


- 


. 


. 


4 ' • 


f . 


13. 

Addison  secured  another  life  long  friend#  Addison  could  not  have  made  a wiser 

ft 

choice  of  friends  or  patrons  than  he  made  in  choeing  these  two  men.  Besides 
their  political  importance,  Somers  as  Whig  leader  in  the  House  of  Lords  and 
Halifax  that  of  the  House  of  Gonrnons,  they  were  both  munificent  patrons  of 
letters  who  neglected  no  chance  to  encourage  authors.  Through  their  efforts  a 
pension  was  secured  for  Addison  which  enabled  him  to  travel  and  study  abroad 

t 

in  preparation  for  diplomatic  service#  While  crossing  Lit.  Cenis,  Addison 

amused  himself  with  composing  his  "Letter  to  Lord  Halifax,"  which  in  Court- 

hope^  opinion  contains  his  best  English  verses. 

Addison  was  abroad  traveling  thru  southern  Europe  some  three  years  and  in 

December,  1701,  when  he  reached  Geneva  on  his  return  to  England,  he  learned  that 

he  had  been  selected  as  secretary  from  the  King  to  attend  the  army  under 

Prince  Eugene.  This  selection  was  nrobably  made  at  the  suggestion  of  Mancher- 

(18)* 

ter  whom  Addison  knew  in  Paris#  He  accordingly  waited  in  the  city  for  official 
confirmation  of  this  intelligence;  but  his  hopes  were  doomed  to  disappointment. 
William  III  died  in  March  1702  and  Anne  who  felt  an  aversion  - political, 
personal,  and  religious  - for  the  Jhig  party  struck  off  Halifax,  on  whom  Add- 
ison’s prospects  chiefly  depended,  from  the  Privy  Council#  Thus  Addison’s 
three  patrons  were  powerless  to  help  him.  Therefore  his  return  to  England  in 
1703  must  have  been  a gloomy  one  as  he  was  without  any  employment  or  prospect 
of  livelihood.  Through  his  Oxford  acquaintances  and  Whig  friends  and  patrons 
Addison  readily  obtained  a welcome  to  the  resorts  of  the  town:  Will’s,  the 
resort  of  the  Wits;  St.  James’s,  the  Whig  coffee-house,  and  the  Kit-Cat  club 
to  the  membership  of  which  he  was  doubtless  admitted  through  the  recommendation 
of  Tlotyson,  the  founder  of  the  club,  and  Halifax.  For  some  months  after  his 
return  to  England  Addison’s  fortune  «as  at  its  lowest  ebb.  But  the  political 
changes  and  events  of  the  year  1703  removed  forever  his  financial  diff iculities. 
(12)  "National  Dictionary  of  Biography,"  I,  "Addison,"  IT,  Y.  1903. 


. 

. 


. 


. 


14. 

A brief  review  of  this  polltioal  situation  is  neoessary  to  understand  the 
extraordinary  suooess  of  Addison's  poem  "The  Campaign." 

The  aooession  of  Anne,  as  has  been  already  noted,  was  a Tory  success. 

The  more  radical  members  of  the  party  expeoted  a great  ohange  in  the  ministrial 
polioy ; but  in  this  they  were  disappointed  and  began  to  withdraw  their  support 
from  the  ministry.  To  maintain  their  polioy  the  ministry  found  Whig  votes  were 
neoessary.  These  votes  could  be  obtained  in  only  one  way,  that  of  oonoession, 
and  further  concessions  the  Queen  was  induoed  to  make. 

In  1704  the  throne  was  surrounded  by  men  supposed  to  be  attached  to  the 
prerogative  and  the  ohuroh.  Among  these  men  none  stood  so  high  as  Lord  Treasurer 
Godolphin  and  the  Captain-General  Marlborough.  As  yet  there  had  been  no  coalition 
of  the  Whigs  and  the  moderate  Tories,  but  such  a ooalition  seemed  inevitable. 

This  was  the  situation  when  the  news  of  the  great  victory  at  Blenheim  on  August 
thirteenth  reached  England.  The  Whigs  were  filled  with  joy  and  pride;  no  longer 
were  they  able  to  remember  anything  against  the  Commander.  The  Tories  regarded 
the  event  otherwise.  They  could  not  openly  express  regret,  but  their  congratula- 
tions were  cold  and  sullen  and  gave  offense  to  the  General  and  his  friends. 

Godolphin,  while  not  a reading  or  literary  man,  was  too  good  a politiciar 
not  to  realize  the  danger  to  his  polioy  and  set  about  to  remedy  it.  He  knew  the 
power  of  literature  and  the  way  in  which  the  Whigs  had  strengthened  their  party 
by  their  patronage  of  good  writers.  Doubtless  he  was  exceedingly  mortified  by 
the  kind  of  poems  he  received  in  oelebration  of  the  victory,  and  in  his  des- 
peration he  consulted  Halifax.  The  latter  affected  to  decline  the  position  of 
adviser  and  gave  as  the  reason  for  his  refusal  the  faot  that  literary  men  of 
merit  were  unrewarded  by  the  government  for  their  services  while  the  un- 
desexving  were  heaped  with  favor.  Godolphin,  who  was  an  expert  in  appeasing 
the  wrath  of  others,  replied  that  this  had  doubtless  been  true,  but  that  a man 


' 


- 


15 

whom  Halifax  would  recommend  would  be  generously  rewarded,  thereupon  Halifax 


named  Addison  ,but  he  refused  to  take  the  commission  to  Addison  and  insisted 

that  Godolphin  do  it  himself.  This  Godolphin  promised  to  perform. 

At  this  time  Addison  was  living  in  a mean  garret  in  Hayraarket.  We  can 

readily  imagine  his  surprise  at  receiving  here  a visit  from  the  Right  Honorable 

Henry  Boyle,  then  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  whom  Godolphin  had  sent  with  the 

(13) 

request  for  the  poem.  Addison  readily  undertook  the  task;  and  when  the  poem 
was  about  half  completed  he  showed  it  to  Godolphin,  who  was  ro  pleesed  with  it, 
especially  with  the  famous  simile  of  the  angel  and  the  storm,  that  he  immef'irte- 
ly  appointed  Addison  to  the  Commissionship  of  Appeals  in  Excise  to  be  under- 
secretary of  State  to  Sir  Charles  Hedges  with  © salary  of  two  hundred  pounds  a 
year. 

The  "Campaign"  was  a complete  success.  It  praised  the  victory  and  the 

victor  properly,  thus  pleasing  Godolphin,  and  secured  for  the  author  a politi- 

cal  position  a promise  of  advancement.  The  composition  has  no  particular  merit 

as  literature  and  barton’ s disposition  of  it  as  a "gazette  in  rhyme"  is  partly 

just.  The  poem  is  not  poetical  either  in  design  or  expression,  but  this  was 

the  deliberate  plan  of  the  author.  Of  the  numerous  other  poems  on  this  famous 

battle  the  best,  probably,  is  that  written  by  that  redoubtable  critic  and  fire 

(14) 

eater,  John  Dennis. 

(13)  "In  return,  it  is  said  for  his  good  offices  on  this  occasion,  the  third 
volume  of  the  "Spectator"  was  dedicated  to  Boyle,  with  the  eulogy  that  among 
politicians  no  one  had  made  himself  more  friends  and  fewer  ene&ies."  "Diction- 
ary national  of  Bibliography",  Boyle,  II,  1018. 

(14)  "Through  Dennis’s  "Blenheim"  contains  of  course  no  such  passages  as  the 
famous  one  of  the  angel  and  the  storm  in  Addison’s  description  of  the  seme 
battle  , it  ranks  as  one  of  the  best  of  the  numerous  poems  evoked  by  the 

victory’.’  Paul, "John  Dennis",  XT.  Y.  1911,  p.  36. 


. 


« 

I MH'j  ..  *6 


. 

. 


. 


. 


16. 


The  following  year,  1705,  Addison  published  his  "Travels  in  Italy".  For 
obvious  reasons  this  work  was  not  popular.  To  a reading  publio  looking  for 
comments  on  ourrent  politioal,  oustoms,  and  gossip  of  a oountry,  the  considera- 
tion of  soenery  and  historic  plaoes  designed  to  show  his  beloved  poets,  Horace 
and  Virgil,  would  not  be  enthusiastically  reoeived.  Addison  sent  a oopy  of 
this  work  to  Swift  with  the  inscription:-  "To  Dr.  Jonathan  Swift,  the  most 

Agreeable  Companion,  the  Truest  Friend,  and  the  Greatest  Genius  of  his  Age 

( 15  ) 

thi6  Book  is  presented  by  his  Most  Humble  Servant,  the  Author."  We  do  not 
know  exaotly  when  the  friendship  of  Addison  and  Swift  began  but  it  was  doubtless 
previous  to  this  year,  as  we  find  frequent  entries  in  Swift’s  note  book  showing  an 
intimate  intercourse  with  Addison.  Swift  was  a well  known  figure  at  Will's  and 
St.  James’s  as  early  as  1703  for  in  that  year  he  wrote  verses  in  Vanbrugh's 
house  • 

Addison's  next  literary  endaavor,  "Rosamond,"  deserves  mention  here  for 
only  two  reasons,  its  dedication  to  the  Duchess  of  Marlborough^16^  and  the  faot 

that  through  his  verses  in  praise  of  the  opera  Tickell  gained  the  friendship 
and  patronage  of  Addison. 

In  the  years  between  1707  and  1709,  Addison's  literary  work  was  sus- 
pended. He  held  a secretaryship  under  Lord  Sunderland^ 17 ^ until  his  employer 
lost  his  office  in  the  politioal  change  of  170S.  He  then  went  to  Ireland  as 
under-seoretary  to  Lord  Wharton,  in  which  position  he  remained  for  a year. 

In  the  meantime  his  friend  Richard  Steele  had  been  appointed  government 
gazetteer  at  the  sguggestion  of  Addison  and  in  this  position  he  served  his 

(15)  Forster,  "Life  of  Jonathan  Swift",  N.Y.  1876,  pp. 159-161. 

(16)  "A  woman  without  skill  or  pretension  to  skill  in  poetry  or  literature.  His 
dedication  is,  therefore,  an  instance  of  servile  absurdity."  Johnson,  "Lives  of 
the  Poets",  Oxford,  1905,  II,  £9. 

(17)  "Sunderland  was  the  son-in-law  of  Marlborough  and  the  youngest  of  the 
Whig  junto  of  five,  Somers,  Halifax,  Wharton,  Orford,  and  the  first  of  them  to 
attain  office  under  Anne.  He  was  secretary  of  state  for  the  southern  depart- 
ment and  ' implacably  odious  to  Harley.'"  "Dictionary  of  Rational  Biography," 
XVIII,  Charles  Spencer. 


: 

■ 


17 


S 

apprenticeship  for  Ills  imijortant  work.  This  brings  A to  the  consideration  of 
the  periodical  and  Addison's  most  intimate  and  lomgest  friendship  with  any  of 
his  contempories. 

With  all  the  chief  men  of  letters  of  his  age  except  hefoe,  Addison  was  at 
one  time  or  another  on  intimate  terms;  but  his  name  has  come  down  to  posterity 
as  closely  linked  to  that  of  Steele  as  are  those  of  Beaumont  and  Fletcher  of 
the  preceding  century.  The  comradship  of  Addison  and  Steele  began  at  the  old 
Charter-house  school  in  London.  Their  close  friendship  and  Steele's  admiration 
of  Addison  were  not  due  to  the  younger  boy's  tendency  to  here-  worship,  as 
Thackeray  would  have  us  think,  because  Steele  was  a few  weekr  older  than  Addi- 
son,  but  primarily  to  Steelfis  warm  and  affectionate  nature.  hey  were  at  Ox- 
ford at  the  same  time,  where  Steele  was  postmaster  at  Merton  about  the  year 


(13) 

that  Addison  became  a fellow  of  Magdalen  College.  They  were  probe  ly  intimate 
here,  but  there  are  no  particulars  of  their  intercourse,  Steele  left  Oxford 
without  taking  a degree,  from  an  ardent  desire  to  serve  in  the  army,  thereby 
sacrificing  his  prospect  of  succeeding  to  a family  estate;  his  extravagance  and 
dissipation  while  serving  in  the  Horse  Guards  were  notorious;  yet  this  did  not 
dull  the  clearness  of  his  moral  perceptions,  for  it  was  while  in  this  position 
that  he  wrote  his  "Christian  Hero,"  which  he  dedicated  to  his  conmander.  Lord 
Gutts.  This  work  is  the  reflections  on  religion  of  the  middle  class  as  en- 
countered by  Steel*,  and  it  is  important  only  for  the  fact  that  it  taught  Steele 
to  realise  that  his  power  lay  in  his  pen. 

Throughout  his  whole  career  Steele  was  always  ready  to  take  up  the  cudgels 
in  defense  of  his  friend.  The  first  instance  occurred  in  the  paper  warfare  of 
1700  between  Sir  Richard  Blackmore  and  the  wits  of  Will’s  Coffee-house.  Black- 

more  was  a successful  -ohysician  of  the  time  and  had  formerly  aided  Addison  in 

(19) 

the  translation  of  Herodotus;  he  now  wrote  long  and  tedious  epic  noems,  In 

(18)  Courthope,  "Addison,"  V,  98-99. 

(19)  Addison,  "Works, "V,  319. 


? 


. 


vs. 

answer  to  Dryden's  attaok  upon  him  in  the  Prefaoe  to  his  “Fables,"  Blackmore 
oomposed  a pamphlet  oalled  "A  Satyr  against  Wits."  The  wits  ralliod  around  the 
old  poet  and  prepared  to  squeloh  the  Dootor  by  a oolleotion  of  Epigrams  direoted 
against  him.  Before  this  work  was  oompleted  Dryden  died;  and  the  leadership 
in  the  attack  was  assumed  by  Tom  Brown,  a dissipated  writer  of  the  town.  Among 
the  oontributors  were  Sedley,  Lord  Anglesey,  Dennis,  Vanbrugh,  Colonel  Codring- 
ton,  Garth,  and  Captain  Steele.  Steele's  wirry  verses  which  brought  some  rather 
caustic  remarks  from  the  Dootor  were  occasioned  by  the  following  allusion  to 
Addison's  wit : 

"But  Wit  as  now  'tis  managed  would  undo 
The  skill  and  virtues  we  admire  in  you. 

In  G(arth)  the  wit  the  dootor  has  undone. 

In  S(mallwoo  )d  the  Divine, 

Heav'ns  guard  poor  Ad(di)son." 

Steel's  retort  was  addressed  "To  the  Mirrour  of  British  Knighthood, 
the  Worthy  Author  of  the  Satyr  against  Wit;  occasioned  by  the  Hemistich 

"Heav'ns  guard  poor  A - n." 

"Must  I then  passive  standi  And  oan  I hear 
The  name  I love  abused,  and  yet  forbear? 

Yet  must  I thank  thy  favor  to  my  friend, 

•Twas  some  remorse  thou  didst  him  commend. 

Thou  dost  not  all  my  indignation  raise. 

For  I prefer  thy  pity  to  thy  praise."  eto. 

Blackmore  replied  with  "De commendatory  Verses,"  among  which  are  some  "To  the 
Noble  Captain,"  whofwas  in  a damned  confounded  Pet  because  the  author  of  the 
Satur  Against  Wit  was  pleased  to  pray  for  his  Friend."  Furthermore,  he  oalls 
Steele  a senseless  bard,  who  oannot  atone  for  his  rhyme. '20j 


( 20  ) Aitken,  "Steele,"  I,  61-62. 


V 


' 


' 

. 


. 


19. 

It  was  not  until  some  five  years  later  that  the  names  of  --.ddison  and 
Steele  are  again  connected  in  a literary  production.  Addison  had  n§  part  in 
the  stage  controversy  between  Collier  and  the  dramatists,  that  engaged  a number 
of  his  contemporaries  during  the  closing  years  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
the  opening  ones  of  the  eighteenth.  Nowhere  do  we  find  that  he  had  any  connect- 
ion with  the  theater  until  he  assisted  Steele  in  the  production  of  the  latter* s 
third  comedy  "The  Tender  Husband."  Addison  wrote  the  prologue,  which  has  littlr_ 
to  recommend  it.  Perhaps  his  work  can  be  found  in  the  scenes  in  which  the 
Country  Squire,  Sir  Harry  Gnbbin,  appears;  this,  however,  is  uncertain.  The 
assistance  thus  received  from  Addison  is  very  generously  acknowledged  by  Steele 
in  "Spectator"  number  555*  "Many  of  the  best  strokes"  were  from  the  Ten  of  hir 
friend  and  again  in  the  dedication  of  the  play  to  Addison. Steele  said  "My  pur- 
pose in  this  application  is  only  to  show  the  esteem  I have  for  you,  and  that  I 

look  UDon  my  intimacy  with  you  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  enjoyments  of  my 

(21) 

life."  This  is  their  last  literary  work  until  the  periodical  "The  Tatler"  was 
started  in  the  year  1709. 

Apparently  the  number  of  periodicals  in  circulation  attracted  general  atten- 
tion in  1704,  as  an  organ  of  moderation  for  the  government,  political  journals 

»>  /* 

had  multiplied.  The  Review  with  its  discussion  of  current  topics  and  "Scandal" 
page  doubtless  gave  Steele  and  Addison  many  hints  for  their  essays,  but  it  is 
not  solely  to  the  "Review"  that  they  were  indebted  for  the  inspiration  for  thei>* 
sketches  on  the  "Varied  doings  of  mankind."  The  primary  object  of  the  "Review" 
was  political,  and  we  must  look  elsewhere  for  the  real  transition  from  the 
political  journal  to  the  periodieal  of  discursive  comment  on  the  social  life  of 
the  day.  This  transition  was  effected  to  c considerable  extent  by  Punton’S 

III) 

Athenian  Gazette."  Addison  and  Steele  were  also  indebted  to  t 'e  cl°ssic 

(21)  Aitken,  "Steele,"  I,  108. 

(22)  "Cambridge  History  of  English  Literature,  IX,  p.  £5. 


. 


. 

. ■ 


. 


. 


. 


20 


authors,  the  French  oharaoter  writer.  La  Bruyere,  and  to  the  English  oharuoter 
writers.  Overbury,  and  Earle,  of  the  early  seventeenth  oentury  for  other  ideas 
in  their  entertaining  papers. 

To  Swift  belongs  the  oredit  for  the  name  under  which  Steele  wrote, that 

of  Isaao  Bickerstaff.  In  170 8 Swift  was  in  London  and  in  constant  assocation  with 

( 23  ) 

both  Addison  and  Steele.  In  March  of  this  year  swift,  with  his  love  for 

praotioal  jokes  and  hoaxing,  began  an  attaok  on  John  Partridge,  ohief  of  the 

astrologioal  almanao  makers,  who  were  unprincipled  rogues,  trading  upon  the 

ignoranoe  of  the  poor.  The  jest  was  taken  up  by  the  wits  including  both  Steele 

and  Addison.  When  Steele  adopted  Swift’s  name,  Biokerstaff,  he  gave  its 

author  due  credit  for  making  it  famous. 

The  '"Tatler"  was  the  child  of  the  coffee-house.  Into  its  genial  pages 

Steele  infused  the  tone  of  easy  familiarity,  the  vivaoious  wit,  and  the  ready 

omniscienoe  of  the  coffee-house  oracle.  He  gave  expression  to  the  ideas  of  the 

serious -minded,  progressive  class  of  citizens  that  frequented  these  shops. 

Thus  was  the  victory  of  the  "cloth  breeches"  over  the  "velvet  breeohes",  complete. 

Matthew  Arnold  has  said  that  when  "England  entered  the  prison  of  Puritanism"  it 

"turned  the  key  on  its  intellectual  progress  for  two  hundred  years."  But  it 

was  from  precisely  this  class,  the  inheritors  of  Puritan  narrowness,  that  a 

new  oulture  was  oreated  for  England  out  of  its  coffee-houses. 

( 23  )x 

Addison  was  in  Ireland  when  Steele  began  the  "Tatler"  and  did  not 

discover  who  was  the  author  until  the  sixth  number.  He  sent  a few  essays  from 
Ireland,  but  did  not  become  a regular  contributor  until  about  the  eightieth  number, 
after  which  his  essays  appeared  frequently.  The  work  of  Addison  in  the  "Tatler"was 


(23)  "The  triumvirate  of  Addison,  Steele,  and  me,  come  together  as  seldom  q.8  the 
sun,  moon  and  earth;  but  I often  see  each  of  them,  and  eaoh  of  them  me  and  each 
other."  Aitken,  Steele,  I,  210. 

(23  )x  April  22,  1709>  Addison  to  Swift  from  Dublin:  "We  arrived  yesterday  at 
Dublin."  Addison,  "Works,"  V,  377. 


■ 


21 


in  no  small  part  influential  in  making  the  periodical  popular.  Of  the  "Tatler" 
papers  forty-one  are  attributed  to  Addison  alone,  end  thirty-four  --ere  written 
by  him  in  conjunction  with  Steele.  The  statements  of  news  end  n -renter  niyn- 
ber  of  the  essays  were  written  by  Steele;  there  were,  however,  ot  ^r  contribu- 
tors besides  these  two  and  among  them  was  Swift. 

Three  times  a week  appeared  these  sketches  of  gallantry,  entertainment, 
political  criticism  and  news,  both  foreign  and  domestic.  To  Steele’s  variable 
and  versatile  nature,  the  breadth  and  scope  of  the  plan  were  admirably  suited, 
more  so,  perhaps,  than  to  the  genius  of  the  other  contributors.  His  changeable, 
nature  made  prolonged  and  steady  work  irksome;  but  his  ready  wit,  lively  fancy, 
quickness  of  perception,  and  ease  in  composition  fitted  him  well  for  his  task. 

As  I remarked,  the  plan  was  perhaps  less  suited  to  some  of  the  other  contribu- 
tors than  to  its  originator;  an  evidence  of  this  statement  is  the  fact  that  the 
character  of  the  paper  began  to  change  after  Addison  became  a regular  and  in- 

despensable  ally.  Gradually  less  and  less  snace  was  given  to  news  until  finally 

(24)  J 

this  part  of  the  paper  was  dropped  altogether,  for  this  change  in  the  "Tatler" 

Addison,  whose  influence  in  the  councils  of  the  paper  was  undoubtedly  great  was 

(25) 

largely  responsible.  From  the  first  he  had  cared  nothing  for  news. 

That  Steele  should  have  one  department  of  his  paper  devoted  to  news  is 
quite  natural  under  the  circumstances.  When  he  started  the  "Tatler”  Steele’s 
experience  in  periodical  writing  was  solely  that  of  a newsproer  men.  News- 
papers were  an  established  success  while  essays  in  the  later  manner  of  the 
’’Tatler”  were  still  undeveloped.  Yet  he  had  shown,  even  before  Addison’s  re- 

(24)  "Steele dans  san  premier  numero,  annonca qu’il  donnerait  des  nottt/elle^r 

etrangeres  et  domesteques,  car  Steele  ne  £upprime  pas  encore  la  politique,  non 
plus  que  Defoe;  mais  tandis  que  dans  la  "Revue”  elle  est  encore  la  partie,  prin 
cipale  et  le  poste  d’ honneur,  elle  est  dans  le  Babillard  au  simple  accessoire 

et  relsguee  un  second  plan.  Feu  a'pen  merne  les  notttfelles  furent  moins  impor- 
tantes  at  plus  rares,  et  a partir  du  83  e numdro  elles  disparurent." 

Beljame,  "Essay  on  Joseph  Addison,”  p.  277. 

(25)  "Tatlers,"  nos.  18,  55. 


. 


- 


. 

. 


(26)  22 

turn  from  Ireland  that  the  !?Tatler"  was  to  be  no  mere  newspaper.  The  view  of 


Courthope,  though  not  developed  at  length,  concerning  this  matter  seems  tho- 
roughly sound;  that  after  the  hundredth  number  the  news  ia  less  frequent,  when 
news  does  appear  it  is  usually  used  as  the  text  of  a literary  disquisition,  and 
that  Steele  recognized  the  superiority  of  Addison's  style,  and  with  his  usual 

quickness  accomodated  the  form  of  his  paper  to  the  genius  of  the  new  contiibu- 

(27) 

tor. 

Since  none  of  the  papers  in  the  "Tatler"  was  signed  by  the  writer,  it  is 
occasionally  difficult  to  know  who  was  the  author  of  an  essay  or  parts  of  an 
essay.  Steele  in  the  Preface  to  the  "Tatler"  furnishes  us  with  the  first  re- 
liable information  as  to  the  authorship  of  certain  numbers.  Further  aid  is 
rendered  by  the  incomplete  list  of  Addison's  papers  given  by  Steele  to  ^JTiclcell. 
The  incompleteness  of  this  list  is  explained  by  Steele  in  the  Preface  to  the 
second  edition  of  "The  Drummer"  as  follows;  tfWhat  I never  did  declare  w s Mr, 
Addison's  I had  his  direct  injunction  to  hide many  of  his  writings  now  pub- 

lished as  his  I have  very  patiently  traduced  and  caluniniatedfor,  as  they  were 

1 (28 

pleasantries  and  oblique  strokes  upon  certain  of  the  wittiest  men  of  the  age." 
That  Swift  refused  to  acknowledge  some  of  his  papers  is  also  a well  known  fact , 
There  are,  therefore,  some  few  papers  respecting  the  authorship  of  which  a 
doubt  remains. 

The  popularity  and  success  of  the  periodical  was  immediate  and  widespread. 

(29) 

It  was  imi.tated  everywhere  as  Addison  humorously  in  pretended  dismay  reveals. 


(26)  "Tatlers,"  nos.  4,  5,  41. 

(27)  Courthope,  "Addison,"  "English  Men  of  Letters  Series,"  V,  97. 

(28)  Aitken, "Steele,"  I,  pp  257  - 258. 

(29)  "Tatler"  Ho.  229.  "I  was  threatened  to  be  answered  weekly  "Tit  for  Tat;" 
I was  undermined  by  the  "Whisperer;"  haunted  by  "Tom  Brown’s  Ghost;"  scolded 
at  by  a "Female  Tatler."  - I have  been  Annotated,  Be-tatled,  Examined,  and 
Condoled." 


•j 

% ■ % 


* 


> 

. 

. 


23 


The  attitude  of  the  "Review"  was  friendly,  and  Defoe  recogmized  the  work 

(30) 

Addison  and  Steele  were  doing  for  society.  The  respective  merits  of  the  work 
of  authors  of  the  "Tatler"  will  he  discussed  in  connection  with  th9"Spectator," 


(30)  "When  first  this  paper  appeared  in  the  World,  I erected  a Court  of  Just- 
ice, for  the  censuring  and  exposing  Vice but  tired  with  the  mess  of  filth, 

the  stench  of  which  was  hardly  endured,  I laid  aside  the  rerculeen  labor  for  a 
while,  and  am  glad  to  see  the  society  honored  by  the  succession  (in  those 
first  endeavors)  of  the  Venerable  Isasc  ickerstaff  Esq." 

Defoe,  March  2,  1710.  VI,  Do.  1-1. 


. 


24 


CHAPTER  III 

171C<*  1719 

By  1710  the  older  generation,  that  of  Dryden,  had  died  or  given  place  to  the 
younger  men  who  were  centered  around  Addison  and  Steele,  or  Swift  and  Pope,  It 
is  not  strange  then  that  Dennis,  who  was  some  fifteen  years  Addison’s  senior, 
should  have  had  no  very  intimate  relations  with  him.  In  this  second  dr cade  of 
the  century  Dennis  was  perhaps  the  only  one  of  this  group  of  authors  who  ? 
not  greatly  concerned  about  political  patronage.  In  principle  he  was  a violent 
Whig,  a fact  that  made  any  substantial  reward  for  his  service  to  the  state  im- 
possible in  the  first  years  of  the  decade,  Sv/ift,  likewise,  by  his  "Tale  of 
the  Tub"  which  offended  the  <4ueen,  had  rendered  his  political  friends  power- 
less to  help  him.  The  Dean  in  1710  was  again  in  London  ready  to  accept  service 
with  either  party.  Swift  did  not  realize  that  he  had  offended  the  ^ueen  by  his 
"Tale  of  the  Tub,"  thereby  destroying  any  chance  for  promotion  in  the  church* 

He  considered  this  negligence  on  the  part  of  the  Whigs  a personal  insult,  there  - 
fore,  the  Tories  had  no  great  difficulty  to  persuade  him  to  join  their  forces. 
Swift  finally  made  every  social  and  literary  interest  subsidiary  to  party  mat- 
ters and  wrote  only  to  satisfy  current  demands.  In  this  respect,  like  Addison 
and  Defoe,  Swift  represents  the  blighting  effect  of  political  patronage  upon 
fiien  possessing  the  genius  for  creative  work. 

In  spite  of  this  deadening  effect  of  political  influence  upon  letters,  the 
first  few  years  of  this  decade  were  remarkably  active  ones  in  the  world  of  lit- 
erature. And  the  central  figures  in  this  activity  were  those  of  Addiroh  and 


.....  , - ...  - . , 

* 

, 

. 

. 

- 


25 


Steele  who  were  still  publishing  the  "Tatler."  On  January  2,  1711,  we  read  in 
the  '•Journal  to  Stella,"  "Steele’s  last  "Tatler"came  out  to-day.  You  will  seo 
it  before  this  comes  to  you,  and  how  he  takes  leave  of  the  world.  He  never 

told  so  much  as  Mr#  Addison  of  it,  who  was  as  much  surprised  as  I • To  my 

knowledge  he  had  several  good  hints  to  go  upon,  but  was  so  lazy  '-•no  '-eery  of 
the  work  he  would  not  improve  them,"  Swift’s  statement  about  hie  vo^ytile 
contemporary  is  probably  incorrect;  for  while  Steele  quickly  tirec-  of  the  work 
in  hand,  he  was  ever  ready  in  the  course  of  his  busy,  if  not  industrious  life 
to  plunge  into  some  new  and  rao*€.  alluring  project#  Usually  he  dropped  an  under 
taking  because  he  saw  a way  to  improve  it  by  beginning  it  again  under  some 
slightly  different  form.  Such  was  the  case  with  the"Tatler,"  for  in  two  monons 
he  started  another  periodical  called  "The  Spectator."  This  time  he  took  Addi- 
son into  his  confidence,  and  together  they  planned  the  work# 

Their  experience  in  the  former  venture  led  them  to  plan  the  "Spectator" 
with  a greater  limitation  in  scope,  hach  paper  was  to  have  a central  purpose 
or  theme  as,  for,  instance,  a consideration  of  some  moral  or  religious  thought. 
Above  all  the  periodical  was  to  be  endowed  with  personality#  For  the  "Spec- 
tator" more  nearly  than  any  other  periodical  of  the  age  was  an  embodiment  of  the 
Puritan  spirit  and  an  example  of  its  culture. 

The  idea  of  a club  had  already  been  used  by  Steele  in  the  "T&tler"  where  he 
had  introduced  several  members  to  describe  different  phases  of  life.  This 
club  never  gained  the  importance  acquired  by  the  club  of  the  "Spectrtor"  in 
this  latter  periodical  the  idee  was  developedfrora  the  outset.  It  rss  oy  the 
conjoined  efforts  of  Addison  and  Steele  that  the  members  of  the  cluo  were  con- 
ceived; but  it  was  Steele  who  gives  us  the  first  sketch  of  them,  Addison  fill- 
ed in  these  portraits  and  has  gained  himself  immortal  fame  and  honor  by  his 
development  of  Steele’s  first  sketch  of  Sir  Roger  and  by  stamping  his  own  per— 


. 

<■ 

- • •'«  y-  - - 

♦ 

- ‘ ••  ' ■ . ...... 


• -0*~ 

* 

. ■ • - 

• » » 

■ - 

. 

• 

. . 

• 

26 


(1) 

sonality  upon  the  old  knight.  Miss  Aiken  regards  it  as  a '’singular  circum- 
stance"  that  the  first  hints  of  this  character  are  by  Steele;  as  if  the  charac- 
ter drawer  of  the  "Tatler"  was  incapable  of  such  a sketch. 

The  purpose  of  the  "Spectator"  like  that  of  the  "Tatler"was  to  record  the 
manners  and  character  of  the  day.  The  omission  of  political  news  from  the  pages 
of  the  "Spectator"  perhaps  made  it  appeal  to  a larger  number  of  people  than  had 
the" Tatler.”  Another  very  probable  reason  for  its  popularity  v/as  the  fact  that 
even  at  the  Royal  breakfast  table  it  became  the  fashion  of  the  hour  to  read  this 
paper.  Toward  the  close  of  its  career,  the  circulation  reached  the  enormous 
number  of  ten  thousand  each  day,  by  far  the  greatest  circulation  of  any  period- 
ical of  the  time.  It  also  had  a wide  sale  when  the  numbers  were  published  in 
book  form;  Steele  says  in  the  concluding  issue  of  the"Sr’ectator"  that  nine 
thousand  copies  of  each  volume  were  sold.  Another  source  of  this  popularity 
may  be  discovered  in  the  author’s  further  purpose  of  giv  ng  mor^l  instruction,  a 
design  that  is  more  obvious  in  the  "Spectator"  turn  in  the  "Trtler".  The 
didactic  tone  and  finespun  dissertations  of  Addison  in  the  "Spectator"  give  this 
periodical  a more  artificial  and  less  original  appeal  than  that  of  the  "Tatler"# 
This  difference  was  due  to  the  predominating  influence  in  each  paper,  Steele  in 
the  “Tatler"  and  Addison  in  the  "Spectator."  A further  difference  in  the  two 

periodicals  is  their  general  plans;  the  "Tatler"  was  composed  of  several  depart-  \ 

| 

ments,  while  the  "Spectator"  had  only  one  theme  in  each  number.  Bicker staff 

was  a disinterested  gossip  who  took  part  in  everything  that  interested  man,  while 
Mr.  Spectator  was  a speculative  onlooker  of  all  professions  but  a partaker  in 
none.  He  is  the  ideal  of  the  protestant  middle  class  and  combined  the  morality 
of  books  with  experience,  thereby  humanizing  puritanism. 

’’As  for  distinct  papers  of  the  Spectator,"  says  Tickell,  "They  were  never  or 

seldom  shown  to  each  other  by  their  respective  authors;  who  fully  answered  the 

promise  they  had  made,  and  far  outwent  the  expectation  they  had  raised,  of  pur- 

1.  "Steele  throughout  Addison’s  career  seems  to  have  waved  the  way  for  his  suc- 
^^jsesses".  John  Dennis,  "Studies  in  English  Literature"  London.  1383.  ?.1?9 . 


. 


in 


suing  their  labour  in  the  same  spirit  and  strength  with  which  it  was  begun.”  (2) 

They  differed  greatly  in  their  method  of  compositions  Steele  wrote  as  he  lived, 

freely  and  carelessly  scattering  the  "coinage  of  his  brain."  His  papers  were 

often  incorrectly  written;  but  his  audience  was  not  hard  to  please,  and  what  he 

(3) 

lacked  in  con*ectness  his  contemporary  and  helper  sunplied.  Addison  labored 

over  his  compositions  polishing,  balancing,  and  recasting  his  sentences  to  attain 

perfection  of  diction  and  rhythm.  He  carried  this  pract ice  • o r ch  en  ertent 

that  he  often  times  made  his  work  thin  end  vire-arr-vn,  it  hr s not  the  reedy 

* 

flow  and  spontaneity  of  Steelts  work;  but  he  far  surpasses  his  associate  in  the 
perfection  of  literary  form.  Addison’s  reserve  and  adherence  to  t,e  rules  of 

the  school  of  taste  led  him  to  shrink  from  all  bold,  vigorous,  or  profound  state- 
ments. Consequently  his  writings  lack  emphasis  and  fire.  Steele  was  entirely 
responsible  for  the  paper,  and  if  some  of  his  numbers  are  of  unequal  merit,  it 
must  never  be  forgotten  that  he  was  compelled  to  write  whenever  he  had  no  article 
by  his  friends  ready  to  hand,  whereas  they  only  wrote  when  they  found  some  sub- 
ject which  specially  interested  them. 

Addison  and  Steele  had  no  definite  or  limited  number  of  subjects  upon  which 

each  one  wrdte.  We  may  safely  say,  however,  that  the  realm  of  childhood  and  the 

study  of  lower  life  belong  to  Steele,  since  it  is  hard  to  conceive  of  Addison 

choosing  a subject  in  either  of  these  fields.  Regarding  the  respective  merits 

of  these  two  friends  in  the  realm  of  literary  criticism,  opinions  vary.  In 

(4) 

the  early  numbers  of  the  "Spectator",  Addison  ran  a series  of  witty  attacks  on 
the  Italian  opera  to  which  the  English  stage  was  being  subjected  at  that  time. 
After  this  series  on  the  drama,  in  which  he  taught  his  readers  to  distinguish 
true  wit  from  false,  and  the  requirements  of  dramatic  production,  he  began  a 

2.  Aitken  - "Steele"  I,  p.  311. 

3.  "Mr.  Richard  Nutt,  ...  rememoered  txi&t  tne  press  was  stopped,  and  not  seldom, 
but  not  always  by  Addison,  as  has  been  affirmed,  solely  for  the  sake  of  in- 
serting new  prepositions  or  conjunctions;  it  was  often  stopped,  he  said,  for 
want  of  copy.  In  these  cases  he  had  sometimes  a hard  task  to  find  Steele, who 
frequently  furnished  him  with  the  needful  supply,  written  hastily  in  a room 
adjoining  the  printing  office."  "A&d-isonia" » PP»  20-21. 


J 


. 


■ 


. 


. • . 


■ 


28 


study  of  "Pradise  Lost”,  a work  offering  a wide  range  apt  for  quotation*  Of 
these  passages  Addison  made  ample  use*  Steele  had  loyally  supported  ^ddison 


in  his  dramatic  criticism  by  contributing  when  an  opportunity  opened  that  woul  . 

(6) 

admit  a paper  of  a humerous  character.  But  Steele  was  unable  to  follow  Addison 
in  his  dogmatic  criticism  of  '’Paradise  Lost*" 

Steele  had  a real  dramatic  sense,  which  Addison  did  not  possess;  further- 
more he  knew  and  loved  the  drama,  especially  Shakespeare*  He  criticized  Shake- 
speare’s plays  as  no  other  critic  of  the  age  did,  that  is  to  say,  not  from  the 
classical  standpoint*  Shakespeare  was  his  standard  of  authority  and  his  model 

for  stage  reformation.  Steele  maintained  as  high  a standard  in  other  literary 

(7) 

fields  as  he  did  in  drama.  He  frequently  referred  to  end  quoted  from  Milton 

with  admiration  and  reverence;  and  he  thus  led  the  way  to  Addison’s  more  ©lab- 

(3) 

orate  yet  not  so  appreciative  papers  on  "Paradise  Lost." 

Addison's  success  in  allegorical  writing  was  due,  in  ps.ru  at  least,  to  the 

(9) 

assistance  of  Steele  and  Swift.  Steele  had  carelessly  tried  his  hand  at  allegory 
thus  showing  Addison  how  it  might  be  done,  and  Addison,  acting  on  a hint  from 
Swift,  revived  the  classical  myth,  taking  Plato  and  Ovid  for  his  chief  models. 
Swift  in  "Tattler" number  67  suggested  that  the  most  famous  characters  of  all  time 

.l,V> 

& 

might  be  represented  as  seated  at  a banquet,  addison,  ^this  suggestion  in  mind, 

produced  his  first  allegorical  masterpiece  on  the  two  kinds  of  immortality  in 

collaboration  with  Steele  in  "Tatler”  number  81  and  followed  it  up  with  other 

(10) 

numbers*  These  visions  and  dreams  point  very  commonplace  morals,  but  they 
astonish  by  their  boldness  of  fancy  and  eompell  belief  by  their  realism  of  de- 
tail. 

(6)  ’’Spectators”  22,  36,  65* 

(7)  "Tatlers”  Nos.  40,  98,  149. 

(8)  ’’Even  the  purpose  of  literary  criticism,  afterwards  so  fully  elaborated  by 
Addison,  are  anticipated  by  his  friend,  who  may  fairly  claim  the  honor  to  have 
been  the  first  to  speak  with  adequate  respect  of  the  genius  of  Milton.” 

Gourthope,  "Addison,"  "English  Men  of  Letters,”  V,  104. 

(9)  "latler"  no.  48. 

(10)  "Spectators"  nos.  97,  100,  120,  123,  146,  147,  161. 


. 


* 


29 


In  August  of  1712.  tha  Stamp  Act  was  passed.  This  was  one  of  the  last 
measures  of  the  Tory  ministry  which  Bolingbroke  introduced  hoping  thereby  to 

(ID 

destroy  the  influence  of  ’’Grub  Street.”  Evidently  this  tax  had  been  contem- 
plated for  some  time  before  it  became  a law,  for  we  find  a reference  to  it  as 

(12) 

early  as  January  in  the  "Journal  to  Stella."  All  the  papers  except  the  "Spec- 
tator" advanced  their  price  just  the  value  of  the  stamps,  a half-penny  extra. 

a fact  that  caused  no  little  grumbling  - and  that  made  Addison  i t for  , *11 

(13) 

his  powers  of  special  pleading  to  vindicate  tae  additional  r*ise. 

This  tax  caused  a wholesale  slaughter  of  the  imitators  of  tne  "Spectator"  anc 
"Tatler",  but  the  "Spectator"  did  not  chuckle  over  their  fall.  Addison  says, 
("Spectator"  number  445,  July  31,  1712.)  "This  is  the  hay  on  which  many  imi- 
nent  authors  will  probably  publish  their  Last  tfords.  I am  afraid  that  few  of 
our  weekly  Historians,  who  are  men  that  above  others  delight  in  War,  will  be 
able  to  subsist  under  the  weight  of  a Stamp,  and  a»^approaching  Peace." 

The  contributor  of  the  third  member  of  what  Swift  himself  called  this 
"triumvirate"  to  these  periodicals  was  slight.  After  Swift  joined  forces  with 
the  Tories  a coldness  sprang  up  between  him  and  his  friends.  Swift  had  con- 
scientiously tried  to  keep  on  good  terms  with  Addison  and  Steele,  and  few,  if 
any,  men  of  letters  ever  had  such  splendid  opportunities  for  aiding  his  fellow 
craftsmen  as  had  Swift  during  these  years,  or  ever  used  these  opportunities 
more  freely.  He  tried  to  keep  the  Gazettership  for  Steele  and  his  efforts 

would  no  doubt  have  been  successful  if  Addison  had  not  interfered  as  Swift  said 

(11)  "national  Dictionary  of  3iography,"Uew  York,  1908.  XVII,  62?. 

(12)  "Do  you  know  that  Grub  Street  is  dead  c ' gone  las5  reek?  Do  more  ghosts 
or  murders  now  for  love  or  money.  I plied  it  pretty  close  the  lsst  fortnight, 
and  published  at  least  seven  penny  papers  of  nr-  own,  besides  some  of  other 
neoples;  but  now  every  single  half  sheet  pays  a half  penny  to  the  Queen, 

The  Observer  is  fallen;  the  lledleys  are  jumbled  together  with  the  Plying  Post; 
the  Examiner  is  deadly  sick;  the  Spectator  keeps  up,  and  doubles  its  price;  I 
know  not  how  long  it  will  hnld."  "Journal  to  "Stella,”  p.  379. 

(13)  "Spectator"  no.  448. 


„ 


. 


• . - •'1 

, 


.1 

. 

. . 


30 


"out  of  spite.”  To  us,  however,  it  seems  more  probable  that  Addison's  course 
was  here  influenced  by  his  belief  that  the  submission  and  apology  to  Harley 
would  savour  of  party  infidelity.  A coldness  followed;  "All  our  friendship  is 
over,"  says  Swift  of  Addison,  and  though  good  feeling  revived  between  the  prin- 
cipals, their  intimacy  ceased.  Swift,  swept  into  the  vortex  of  politics, 
practically  lost  sight  of  Addison;  though  at  times  they  met  on  c vil  terms. 

There  are  occasional  references  to  the  "Spectator"  in  the  "Journal  to  Stellr" 

which  show  Swift's  attitude  toward  the  periodical  end  air  opinion  of  it.  "I  rm 

sorry  I sent  you  the  Examiner,  for  the  printer  is  going  to  orint  them  in  a 

small  volume The  Spectators  are  likewise  printing  in  a larger  and  a smaller 

volume,  so  I believe  they  are  going  to  leave  off,  and  indeed  people  grow  weary 

114) 

of  them,  though  they  are  often  prettily  written." 

Swift  was  quite  right  in  his  conjecture  that  the  "Spectator"  was  drawing  to 

its  close,  but  quite  wrong  in  the  reasons  he  suggests  for  the  public  was  by  no 

means  weary  of  it.  The  periodical  was  discontinued  in  the  year  1712  for  no 

apparent  reason  except  the  fact  that  Addison  and  Steele  were  interested  in 

other  things.  In  preparation  for  this  the  various  members  of  the  club  had  been 

disposed  of  by  their  creators;  but  Steele  ceased  printing  the  paper  before  the 

(15) 

date  agreed  upon  and  without  either  Addison's  knowledge  or  consent.  The 
"Spectator"  is  a lasting  monument  to  the  friendship  of  these  men.  Steele  had 
expressed  a wish  that  they  might  produce  a work  together  expressly  for  this 
purpose  but  it  is  doubtful  if  any  other  form  of  literature  would  heve  served  the 
purpose  as  effectively  as  does  this  periodical.  Addison,  doubtless,  had  trie- 
same  idea  in  mind  when  he  wrote  the  lines  of  the  well  known  hymn  'Tinted  in 
"Spectator"  number  453. 

( 14)  "Journal  to  Stella,"  Bohn  edition,  p.  272. 

(15)  "The  reason  for  this  reticence  are  not  obvious,  but  the  fact  is  note- 
worthy as  exhibiting  Steele's  confidence  in  his  own  judgment  and  resources. 

Hr  was  always  0— .u.  receive  literary  aid  from  Addison,  but  in  no  instance  doe 
he  seem  to  have  acted  as  if  dependent  upon  it."  John  Dennis,  "Studies  in 
English  Literature,"  p.  180. 


- 


■ •- 


♦ 


■ 


31 


11  Thy  bounteous  hand  with  world  bliss 
Has  made  my  oup  run  o’er. 

And  in  a kind  and  faithful  friend 
Has  doubled  all  lay  store." 

The  paper  was  afterwards  revived  by  Addison,  but  it  never  regained  its 
former  popularity.  In  this  additional  volume,  however,  Steele  had  no  part. 

In  this  literary  partnership  Steele  was  the  pioneer,  he  blazed  the 

trail  in  all  their  undertakings  and  supplied  the  rough  but  original  conceptions. 

He  had  greater  originality  but  less  effectiveness  than  Addison.  He  conceived 

the  idea  of  the  union  of  the  personal  essay  and  periodical  magazine  and  Addison 

perfected  it;  he  discovered  the  essential  elements  of  the  short  story,  he  was 

on  the  verge  of  inventing  the  epistalatory  novel,  without  substantially  in- 

(16) 

fluencing  the  development  of  either  genure.  This  ineffectiveness  is  of  oourse 
partly  due  to  his  own  dilatory  nature  and  unstable  life,  but  it  was  also  largely 
due  to  Addison's  influence.  Steele  turned  from  developing  his  own  ideas  toward 
the  novel  to  follow  Addison  who  had  invented  the  serial  essay.  While  they 
worked  together,  Addison  in  his  self-oontained  way  and  lofty  superiority,  seems 
to  have  restrained  the  initiative  of  his  more  impulsive  friend.  But,  while 
Addison  curbed  his  companion's  talents,  he  developed  his  own  with  the  utmost 
efficiency  and  without  either  a large  fund  of  ideas  or  sympathy  he  won  for  him- 
self immortal  fame. 

Considered  as  a whole,  Addison's  life  between  1693  and  1710  was  a time 
of  waiting  upon  the  wishes  of  the  Whig  leaders;  while  doing  literary  v/ork  he  had 
been  in  readiness  to  serve  his  party.  In  the  year  1712,  when  the  "Spectator" 
was  dropped  and  Button's  established,  he  became  a politician  instead  of  a man 
of  letters.  From  an  amusing,  instructive  essayist  he  beoau.e  a practical  man  of 
affairs.  Like  Swift  among  the  Tory  writers,  he  stood,  in  1712,  as  advisor 


(16)  "Cambridge  History  of  English  Literature,"  IX,  72 


to  the  minor  writers  among  the  Whigs,  and  consequently  became  medirry  oet7veen 
them  and  the  party  leaders. 


When  the  "Spectator"  was  dropped,  Addison  was  busy  on  his  drama  "Cato," 
and  Steele  soon  started  a new  periodical,  "The  Guardian,"  This  paper  never 
attained  the  degree  of  litorary  merit  and  popularity  of  its  predecessors.  In 
the  first  issues  Addison  had  no  part  but  later  he  became  a regular  contributor 
and  a considerable  number  of  the  hundred  and  seventy-five  papers  were  written 
by  him.  In  the  collected  edition  Steele  gave  his  usual  hearty  appreciation  and 
acknowledgnent  of  Addison's  help:  "All  those  papers  which  are  distinguished  by 

the  mark:  of  an  hand  were  written  by  a gentleman  who  has  obliged  the  world  with 
productions  too  sublime  to  admit  that  the  author  of  them  should  receive  any 
addition  to  his  reputation  from  such  loose  occasional  thoughts  as  make  up  these 

(IV) 

little  treatises.  For  which  reason  his  name  shall  be  concealed," 

If  Swift  in  former  days  had  grumbled  rightly  over  the  Whig  tone  of  the  "Spec- 
tator", he  found  greater  cause  for  offense  in  this  new  daily,  Steele  announced 
at  the  beginning  of  the  paper  that  political  discussion  and  ne-  s would  be  admit- 
ted in  its  columns  and  he  am  soon  made  it  e party  organ.  The  papers  became 
more  and  more  con  ,rovers&l  until  finally  the  literary  charm  of  the  earlier  num- 
bers disappeared,  luring  his  work  on  the  previous  periodicals  Steele  had  been 
subservient  to  Addison  in  politics;  but  Addison  no  longer  had  the  influence  to 
chech  Steele  in  his  political  activities,  or  if  he  had  the  influence  he  did  not 
care  to  exert  it.  After  the  predominance  of  politics  had  given  "The  Guardian" 
its  death  blow,  after  which  Steele  started  "The  Lover,"  Addison  contributed  one 
paper  to  this  new  venture  and  two  essays  to  Steele's  next  project, 11  The  Reader," 
Then  each  of  them  began  a separate  paper,  "Town-Talk"  by  Steele,  and  the  "Free- 
holder" by  Addison.  The  former  was  for  news  and  gossip  and  the  latter  was  a 
political  paper  written  in  behalf  of  the  Hanoverian  dynasty.  The  "Freeholder" 
(17)  Aitken,  "Steele." 


I,  364 


. 


. 


33 

contains  so  many  appeals  to  the  fair  sex  that  we  are  not  surprised  that  Steele 


might  think  the  government  had  employed  a flute  when  they  ought  to  have  taken 
a trumpet.  The  ••Freeholder,"  however,  was  very  successful,  for  its  argument  is 
sound,  its  humor  (particularly  in  the  characterization  of  the  Tory  Fox  Hunter) 
is  delightful,  and  its  style  is  nearly  flawless. 

In  this  same  year,  March  10,  1716,  Addison’s  comedy  "The  Drummer"  war  scted 

at  Drury  Lane.  There  has  been  some  doubt  about;  the  authorship  of  this  tedious 

play  as  Tickell  did  not  include  it  in  the  edition  of  Addison's  collected  works 

(13) 

which  he  published  soon  after  the  author's  death.  Concerning  txiis  dreme  Steele, 
in  one  of  the  daily  numbers  of  "The  Daily  Courant"in  which  it  was  published, 
said  that  it  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the  author  for  some  years  and  at  last  thru 
his  persuasion  it  had  been  produced  on  the  stage  after  some  alterations  which 
he  had  suggested  to  the  author,  MLso,  in  the  last  number  of  "Town  Talk",  Steele 
spoke  of  it  as  a comedy  "written  with  wit,  humor,  good  sense,  good  breeding, 
and  knowledge  of  the  world.  The  whole  is  like  a tale  told  by  a well-bred  gentle- 
man, who  pleases  you  in  every  part  of  it,  but  fails  to  make  you  laugh  in  any. 

1 should  rather  say  that,  as  ridiculous  as  many  parts  of  this  play  are,  they 
are  ridiculous  only  to  polite  people."  This  is  a piece  of  excellent  criticism; 
Addison’s  style  was  too  refined  to  suit  the  taste  of  an  ordinary  audience. 
Furthermore,  Addison  had  little  dramatic  power,  and  nractically  no  knowledge  of 
the  requirements  of  the  theatre,  such  as  Steele  had  gained  through  actual  con- 
tact and  practical  experience  in  theatrical  mane  percent . 

The  year  1716  was  important  in  another  sense  in  Addison's  relations  r t.  Ms 

contemporaries  as  it  was  the  year  of  his  mrrriage,  after  e long  rnd  assiduous 

courtship,  to  the  Countess  of  Warwick.  It  seems  a commonly  accented  opinion 

among  the  biographers  of  Addison  that  in  this  marriage  ae  was  not  particularly 

happy;  at  any  rate  his  habits  were  changed  and  he  became  less  intimate  with  his 

(18)  It  was  attributed  to  Steele  but  the  style  and  composition  of  the  play  are 
unlike  Steele's  work. 


34. 

former  friends.  Previous  to  his  marriage  he  had  set  up  his  court  at  button’s 

(19) 

a former  servant  of  the  Countess,  and  his  days  -were  snent  in  the  following  7/ay: 
"He  had  in  the  house  with  him  Sudgell  end  perhaps  Philips.  is  chief  comn-nion? 
were  Steele,  Budgell,  Philips,  Carey,  Davenent,  and  Colonel  ;.utt.  With  one  of 
these  he  always  breakfasted.  He  studied  all  morning,  then  cined  eta  tavern 

J20I 

and  went  afterwards  to  Button’s. 

During  these  years  Addison  and  Steele  had  drifted  apart.  There  had  been  no 

open  rupture,  but  their  difference  in  political  views  was  the  chief  cause  of 

their  coldness.  Addison  was  a greater  party  man  than  Steele  could  over  bring 

himself  to  be,  but  he  was  less  violent  and  more  cautious  than  Steele.  The 

financial  trouble  of  the  first  few  years  of  the  decade,  upon  which  iiacaulay  lays 

so  much  stress,  apparently  cause  no  abatement  in  the  friendship  of  ^.ddison  and 

Steele.  If  Addison  meant  his  foreclosure,  which  threw  Steele  out  of  house  and 

home,  to  be  an  act  of  friendship,  Steele  took  it  in  the  sane  spirit.  But  a 

coolness  sprang  up  between  them  soon  after  their  work  on  the  periodicals  ceased 

and  in  one  of  Steele’s  letters  to  his  wife  he  says  "I  do  not  ask  of  Ilr.  Secretary 

(21) 

Addison  anything."  This  was  the  attitude  between  them  in  1719  when  the  final 
rupture  occured.  In  this  year  a bill  to  limit  the  number  of  peers  in  PIngland 
was  introduced  into  Parliament.  Steele  opposed  the  bill  and  started  "The 
Plebian"  for  this  purpose.  The  cudgels  were  at  once  taken  up  in  behalf  of  the 
bill  by  Addison  in  "The  Old  Whig,"  Addison  began  the  exchange  of  personal  in- 
vectives and  hot  words  followed.  Steele  said  the  author  of  "The  Old  Whig”  was 
"somebody  used  to  masquerading"  and  Addison  ridiculed  the  nemd  of  "Plebian"  "a 

(19)  "It  is  said  that  when  Addison  had  suffered  any  vexation  from  the  Countess, 
he  7/ithdrew  the  company  from  Button’s  house." 

Johnson,  "Lives  of  the  Poets,"  Hill  ed.  II,  122  - 123. 

(20)  Johnson,  "Ibid,"  122. 

(21)  Aitken,  "Steele,"  II,  215. 


' 


. 


. 


35 


title  which  he  is  by  no  means  fond  of  retaining  if  we  may  give  oredit  to  many 
shrewd  guessers;"  he  also  went  out  of  his  way  to  refer  maliciously  to  the  Fish 
Pool  soheme  of  Steele.  The  quarrel  continued  until  Steele  dosed  it  in  the 
last  number  of  the  ''Plebian'1  by  a dignified  quotation  from  "Cato"  preoeded  by 
these  words,  "Authors  in  these  cases  are  named  upon  suspicion;  and  if  it  is 
right  as  to  "The  Old  Whig",  I leave  the  world  to  Judge  if  this  oause  by  compari- 
son of  this  performance  to  his  other  writings.  And  I hhall  say  no  more  of  vassal- 
age  but  end  this  paper  by  firing  every  free  breast  with  that  noble  exhortation 
of  the  tragedian :- 

"Remember,  0 my  friends,  the  laws  of  the  rights 
The  generous  plan  of  power,  delivered  down 
From  age  to  age  by  your  renowned  forefathers, 

(So  dearly  bought,  the  price  of  so  muoh  blood.) 

0 let  it  never  perish  in  your  hands! 

But  piously  transmit  to  your  children." 

Mr.  Addison’s  "Cato." 

So  ended  this  controversy,  which  Dr.  Johnson  called  a "bellum  plusquam 
oivile."  The  quarrel  was  never  made  up  as  Addison  died  soon  after  its  termina- 
tion. Steele  felt  the  death  of  his  friend  very  keenly,  and  forgot  all  their 
disagreeable  differences  in  his  words  of  praise  for  him.  For  several  years 
Steele  had  been  Jealous  of  Addison’s  friendship  with  Philips  and  Tickell,  a faot 
that  possibly  aids  in  explaining  the  coldness  between  him  and  Addison,  and  he 
was  genuinely  grieved  because  Addison  left  to  Tickell  the  task  of  collecting 
and  publishing  his  works.  Steele  was  infinitely  better  qualified  for  the  work, 
sinoe  Tickell,  for  all  Addison’s  patronage  and  friendship,  looked  upon  his 
benef aotor  ooldly.  The  faot  that  Steele  was  Jealous  of  Tickell  partly  acoounts 
for  the  annoyance  whioh  he  displays  in  the  following  rather  incoherent  letter  to 
Tonson,  written  a month  after  the  death  of  Addison:- 


* 


- 


Mr.  Sr 


36 


I apprehend,  certain  persons  desire  to  separate  the  works  of  Mr.  Addison 
from  nine  in  a Book  called  the  Tatler.  Be  pleased  to  observe  tnai  1 insist  1 
pay’d.  !r .Addison  for  what  he  writ  under  that  title,  and  a Title  of  the  whole  to 
Nutt,  as  there  is  a remainder  according  to  ^ct  of  parliament  in  Writings  to 
Authors  of  which  my  Family  shall  not  be  bereft.  Mr*  Addison  is  the  last  man  who 
shall  be  patiently  suffer’d  in  doing  unreasonable  things  (that  he  has  you  must 
know ) to 

Sr 

Your  Most  Humble  Ser  nt 

Richard  Steele 

July  19,  1719. 

Steele’s  old  affection  for  his  "dear  and  honored  friend"  soon  returner]  and 
blotted  out  any  resentment  he  felt.  In  the  following  February  he  wrote  a n«“oer, 
which  was  not  published,  on  their  long  friendship  and  the  differences  of  opinion 
which  separated  them.  "Thus  these  two  men  lived  for  some  years  last  past,  shun- 
ning each  other,  but  still  preserving  the  most  passionate  concern  for  their 
mutual  welfare.  But  when  they  met  they  were  as  unreserved  as  boys,  and  talked 

of  the  greatest  affairs,  upon  which  they  saw  where  they  differed,  without  press- 

122) 

ing  (which  they  knew  impossible)  to  convert  each  other." 

In  compliance  with  Addison* s wish,  delivered  to  him  by  Tickell,  Steele  mark- 
ed the  papers  from  "The  fatler"  to  be  included  in  the  Tickell  edition  of  Addi- 
son’ s"v;orks".  Addison  , himself,  had  marked  his  contributions  to  "The  Spectator," 
an  act  which  in  Steele's  opinion  showed  too  great  a sensibility  on  the  part  of 
the  author.  But  since  it  was  done  Steele  thought  it  better  that  it  should  be 
supposed  that  the  papers  were  marked  by  him  rather  than  by  Addison  himself.  By 
this  demand  Tickell  exposed  the  real  state  of  Affairs.  This  act  grieved  Steele 

(22)  Aitken,  "Steele," 


II  216  - 217 


4 ■ 9 irtv  ] 


, 


37. 

as  he  was  much  prouder  of  his  friendship  with  Addison  than  any  literary  fame  he 
might  have  gained  by  being  thought  the  author  of  any  of  Addison's  writings. 

When  Addison  and  Steele  ceased  working  together,  each  of  them  became  a second 

I 

rate  writer,  They  did  their  best  work  in  conjunction,  each  supplied  what  the 

other  lacked.  Addison  looked  to  Steele  for  initiative, end  new  ideas  and  in  turn 

taught  Steele  perserverance  and  perfection  in  coranosi tion.  Thus  t>>ere  should 

be  no  disparaging  comparison  to  either  of  then,  as  each  ram  v'r  re:  t in  : 

particular  contribution  to  the  development  of  English  literature.  Nevertheless, 

Steele's  ungrudging  praise  for  his  famous  contemporary  ha:;  often  led  Addison’s 

admirers  to  praise  their  hero  at  hick's  expense.  Fielding  has  very  aptly  satir- 

(23) 

ized  their  efforts.  He  represents  Virgil  as  putting  Addison  a little  out  of 

countenance,  upon  which  the  critic  "turned  aside  to  a merry  spirit,  one  hick 

Steele,"  who  embraced  him,  and  told  him  he  had  been  the  greatest  man  on  earth, 
w- 

that,  readily  resigned  up  all  merit  of  his  own  works  to  him.  Upon  which  Addison 
gave  him  a gracious  smile,  and  clapping  him  on  the  back  with  much  solemnity, 
cried  out,*Well  said,  hick."’ 

It  was  through  the  pages  of  the  "Spectator"  that  Addison  came  to  know  Pope. 

The  "Essay  on  Criticism"  was  published  in  1711  and  in  that  same  year  in  one  of 
the  December  numbers  of  the  "Spectator"  Addison  praised  highly  this  work  of  the 
young  poet,  classing  it  as  an  equal  of  Dryden's,  Roscommon's,  and  Sheffield's 
critical  masterpieces.  He  censured  some  attacks  upon  contemporaries,  a reference 
obviously  to  the  lines  upon  Dennis,  but  quite  overbalanced  there  censurer  by  his 
compliments.  As  Pope  was  probably  anxious  to  enter  Addison's  clique,  he  r 
delighted  to  have  this  notice  of  his  .appesr,  especially  'fter  Dennis’s  furious 
attack  upon  it.  Pope  immediately  wrote  a profuse  letter  of  thanks  to  Steele, 
who  in  answering  it  revealed  to  him  the  real  author  of  the  paper  and  also  prom- 
ised him  an  introduction  to  Addison.  This  meeting  took  place  some  time  in  the 
following  year  for  Pope  says,  "L3y  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Addison  commenced  in  1712i 
(23)  Fielding,  "Journey  from  This  World  to  the  Hext,"  ch.  8. 


* 


■ 


. 


. 

. 


. 

' 


38. 


I liked  him  then  as  well  as  any  man,  and  was  very  fond  of  his  conversation.  It 

was  very  soon  after  that  Ir.  Addison  advised  me  not  to  he  content  with  the 

applause  of  half  the  nation.  He  used  to  talk  much  and  often  to  rae  of  moderation; 

in  parties:  and  used  to  blame  his  dear  friend  Steele  for  being  too  much  of  a 

party  man.  He  encouraged  me  in  my  design  of  translating  the  'Iliad,’  which  was 

(24) 

begun  in  that  year  and  finished  in  1718 •" 

In  this  year, 1712,  Pope  was  writing  the  “Rape  of  the  Lock}"  before  publishing 
it,. he  asked  Addison  to  read  and  criticize  it.  Addison  did  so  and  administered 
“a  little  dose  of  cold  water"  with  his  advise  in  regard  to  Pope's  proposed  intro- 
duction of  fairy  machinery.  Addison  did  not  think  this  innovation  would  add  any- 
thing to  the  beauty  of  the  poem  and  he  said  it  would  be  a pity  to  spoil  the  work. 
But  Fope  did  not  take  Addison's  advice,  and  soon  came  to  suspect  that  Addison  had 
designedly  advised  him  wrongly. 

It  was  in  the  early  numbers  of  the  “Guardian"  that  Addiron  first  aroused  Pone’d 
jealousy  by  praising,  in  a series  of  articles  in  pastoral  poetry,  the  works  of 
Ambrose  Philips.  The  pastorals  of  Philips  were  held  up  as  models  end  Pope's 
works  of  the  same  class  were  not  mentioned.  Pope,  whose  ambition  was  to  be  the 
first  English  poet  of  his  age,  was  extremely  vexed  and  planned  an  ingenious  re- 
venge. He  sent  an  anonymous  article  to  Steele,  professedly  a continuation  of 
the  previous  articles  and  ostensibly  to  remove  any  partiality  that  Pope  might 
feel  at  the  omission  of  his  works.  The  design  was  admirably  concealed  in  the 
first  part,  but  the  irony  was  soon  transparent.  Philip's  affectation  was  con- 
trasted with  the  best  selections  from  Pope's  own  pastorals  to  show  the  polish  and  jjj 
originalit^of  the  treatment  of  the  subjects  by  pope.  Steele  did  not  detect  the 
real  purpose  of  the  paper,  nor  did  Addison  enlighten  him.  The  permission  of  Pope 

was  then  secured  to  print  it.  Philips  saw  through  the  device  at  once  and  he  was 


! 


(24)  Spence,  "Anecdotes,"  London,  1820,  pp  £1  - 22 


» ■ 

♦ 


. 


, 


furious  at  Pope 


79. 


I 


The  grand  climax  of  Addison’s  literary  career  c&me  he  following  /e-r,  1 1?, 

with  his  tragedy  on  the  death  of  Cato.  his  work  hod  been  planner!  -nr-  largely 

written  during  his  travels  aoroad.  The  first  four  sets  were  finished  end  hao 

been  shown  to  those  who  were  likely  to  spread  their  reputation.  Pope  and  Gibber 

read  the  manuscript,  and  Pope  advised  Addison  not  to  attempt  a stage  production 

but  to  publish  it.  At  last  Addison  was  prevailed  upon  by  his  friends  to  allow 

(25) 

it  to  be  produced.  The  completion  of  the  play  seemed  distasteful  to  Addison 
and  he  asked  Hughes  to  write  the  closing  act,  Hughes  agreed  to  undertake  the 
task,  but  when  he  returned  with  it  partly  written  he  found  .addison  hard  at  work 
on  the  act  himself,  Steele  said  that  the  act  was  written  in  a week;  and  the 
fact  that  it  is  brief,  irregular,  and  hurried  in  structure  makes  this  statement 
quite  probable. 

Pope  wrote  the  Prologue  and  in  the  spirit  of  the  play  said,  ’’Britons,  arise, 

be  worth  like  this  approved,”  meaning  nothing  more  than,  Britons,  erect  and 

exalt  yourselves  to  the  approbation  of  public  virtue.  But  Addison  was  fright- 

(26) 

ened  at  its  rebellious  sound  and  had  the  author  change  the  wording  to  "attend." 

The  play  was  produced  on  April  the  fourteenth  and  Swift  gives  us  a very  in- 
teresting picture  of  the  rehearsal  in  which  he  says  the  drab  who  v- r to  act  the 

(?7) 

part  of  Cato’s  daughter  did  not  know  her  lines.  This  is  the  only  record  we 
have  of  Swift’s  theatre  attendance  during  these  years. 

Steele  packed  the  audience,  a precaution  that  was  hardly  necessary,  but  he 
says,"  I promised  before  it  was  acted,  and  performed  my  duty  according  to  the 
author,  that  I would  bring  together  so  just;  an  audience  on  the  first  days  of  it 

(£5)  "His  friends  of  the  first  quality  and  distinction  prevailed  with  him  to 
put  the  last  finishing  fouch  to  it,  at  a time  when  they  thought  the  doctrine 
of  liberty  very  seasonable.” 

”Addison’ s works,"  Preface,  p.  9. 

(26)  warburton.  Pope’s  "Works”, I,  p.  216. 

(27)  Swift,  "Journal  to  Stella,"  p.  452. 


. 

« 


. 


. 


. . - . 


. 


. < , 


. 


40.  | 

that  it  should  be  impossible  for  the  vulgar  to  put  its  success  or  due  applause 

to  any  hazard.”  This  success  was  due  partly  to  its  worth  and  partly  to  Booth’s 

acting,  but  principally  to  its  appeal  to  party  spirit,  the  play  was  produced 

(28) 

for  several  weeks. 

At  the  publication  the  Wits  seemed  proud  to  pay  their  r, ttendance  to  the 
author  of  "Cato”  by  encomiastic  verses.  Among  those  who  contributed  were  Steele, 
Hughes,  Young,  Tickell,  Jeffreys,  Ambrose  Philips,  end  Gay  who  afterwards 
parodied  a part  of  "Cato”  in  "The  What  D’ye  Call  It.”  And  when  the  play  was 
printed  notice  was  given  that  tne  siueen  wished  it  dedicated  to  her;  but  the  au- 
thor had  other  designs  and  he  was  obliged,  said  Tickell,  "by  his  duty  on  the 

one  hand,  and  his  honor  on  the  other,  to  send  it  into  the  world  without  a dedi- 
(29) 

cation. 

ho  sooner  was  "Cato”  offered  to  the  reader  than  it  was  attacked  by  the"Acute 
Malignity”  of  the  critic  Dennis.  The  universality  of  applause  had  no  other 
effect  than  to  harden  Dennis  in  his  fixed  dislike  for  a successful  play.  His 
dislike  was  not  merely  capricious  - he  found  and  showed  many  faults  - he  show- 
ed them  indeed  in  anger  but  he  found  them  with  acuteness.  To  understand  the 
basis  of  this  attack  by  Dennis  we  must  go  back  to  Addison's  critical  works  in 
the  periodicals. 

I 

Previous  to  1710  neither  Addison  or  Dennis  has  left  any  record  of  their  dif-  |j 
ferences;  and  even  in  their  greatest  disagreement  Dennis  regarded  his  contemn-  jj 
orary  as  a man  of  remarkable  parts.  Both  of  them  had  contributed  to  the  "Third 
Miscellany"  of  Dryden,  and  Dennis’s  poem  cn  the  battle  of  Rrmille-s  had  been 
praised  by  Addison.  Through  his  opposition  to  the  unmerited  success  of  some 

(28)  Addison  was  the  first  to  depart  from  the  custom  of  distributing  free  tick- 
ets. He  gave  the  managers  all  his  profits  from  this  play  and  they  cleared -fc  1350 
each  that  year.  Gene st," Hi story  of  the  Drama"  1660  - 1830.  London  1832,  II , 512. 

(29)  Addison’s  "Works”,  Preface,  p.  9. 


. 

. - _ . . 

- 

- 

r 


, 


. 'a-J  : . i ' 

. 

. . . . ” 


41 


of  the  principal  writers  of  the  day  Dennis  brought  on  most  of  his  conflicts. 

By  1711  nearly  every  man  of  letters  of  this  younger  generation  came  under  his 
(30) 

condemnation.  But  Addison  and  Dennis  lived  in  at  least  nominal  peace  until  the 
appearance  of  '’Spectator”  number  40,  with  its  attack  on  the  critic’s  favorite 
theory  of  poetic  justice,  which  it  branded  as  a "ridiculous  Doctrine  in  llodern 
Criticism,"  with,  "no  Foundation  in  Nature,  in  Reason,  or  in  the  practice  of  the 
Ancients."  Dennis  sent  a prompt  reply  to  Steele  as  he  naturally  supposed  he 
was  the  author  of  the  article#  Addison  made  no  direct  rer>ly,  but  he  returned 
to  the  subject  about  a year  later  in  tne  443rd  number  (July  16,  171?.)  ?nd 
again  in  the  548th.  It  -was  only  a few  days  after  this,  however,  that  he  made 
what  seems  to  have  been  an  attack  on  Dennis  in  the  essay  on  butts.  Dennis  felt 
this  keenly  as  he  had  apparently  expected  a favorable  recognition  of  his  work 
by  the  "Spectator".  Under  these  circumstances  his  sarcastic  letter  to  Steele, 
whom  he  supposed  to  be  the  author,  is  quite  natural.  From  his  long  letter  to 
Henry  Cromwell  it  may  be  presumed  that  he  had  thought  Steele  the  author  of  the 
critique  on  old  ballads  which  he  censures.  Several  months  later  in  “Spectator" 
number  253  Addison  devoted  the  issue  to  a discussion  of  the  ill  nature  of  critics 
with  too  apparent  reference  to  Dennis  for  him  not  to  be  justly  offended. 

Uhile  the  relations  we  re  thus  strained  between  Dennis  and  the  authors  of  the 
"Spectator"  "Cato"  was  produced.  Dennis,  as  we  said  above,  could  not  sit  quiet- 
ly  during  a successful  play;  no  doubt  he  was  also  prompted  by  his  genuine  desire 
to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  drama,  and  thus  welcomed  with  joy  this  chance  as 
an  opportunity  to  "retort  personal  injuries"  as  well  as  do  real  literary  work. 

He  was  persuaded  by  his  small  circle  of  friends  to  prepare  some  remark?  on  "Or to' 
"These  remarks  were  not  published  immediately  but  his  letter  to  uckinghera  “ho 

(30)  "Had  he  died  in  1710,  Dennis  would  now  be  remembered  as  & small  dramatist 
and  pamphleteer  and  as  a much  better  critic  - a man  who,  for  the  most  part,  was 
esteemed  and  respected  by  his  contemporaries;  and  he  would  have  been  spared  a 
petulant  old  ape  filled  with  quarrels  with  some  of  his  celebrated  contemporaries 
Swift  and  SteelLe,  Addison  and  Pope,  brawls  which  for  two  centuries  have  been 
used  to  stig?natize  him  in  literary  history."  Paul,  H.  0.  "John  Dennis,"  p.  53. 


. 

. 

. 


' 


. 


. 


. 


. 


tried  to  persuade  him  not  to  publish  them  showed  his  dee^  resentment  Pt  the 

(51) 

treatment  he  had  received  at  the  hands  of  the  "Spectotor. " He  describes  it  rs 

"not  only  an  assination  but  one  of  the  bleckest  sort.  v;r- s done  in  the  dnrk, 

no  Erovocation  in  the  least  given,  no  name  to  the  Paper,  and  no  Author  Known, 

(32) 

when  at  the  same  Time,  they  openly  profes’t  Friendship  to  me,"  Dennis  stated  in 
the  Preface  to  these  "Remarks"  that  he  was  laying  himself  open  to  abusive  re- 
plies, and  he  was  not  at  all  deceived.  Pope  saw  in  this  attack  an  excellent 
chance  for  a triple  pleasure  to  himself,  of  seeing  "Cato”  attacked,  Addison  an- 
gered at  Dennis,  and  himself  afforded  another  excuse  for  ridiculing  the  author 
of  the  "Reflections  Upon  the  Essay  on  Criticism."  Under  the  guise  of  doing  a 
friendly  service  to  Addison,  Pope  published  a pamphlet  entitled  the  "Narrative 
of  the  Frenzy  of  John  Dennis."  It  is  written  in  the  style  of  coarse  satire  of 
which  Swift  was  a master,  but  for  which  Pope  was  very  ill-fitted.  The  result 
was  only  an  explosion  of  brutal,  contemptuous,  vulgar  hatred.  He  says  nothing 
whatsoever  of  Dennis’s  criticism  which  shows  that  his  purpose  was  not  to  defend 
Dennis’s  victim  but  to  pay  a personal  grudge.  Addison,  who  was  no  stranger  to 
the  ways  of  the  world,  very  easily  and  naturally  saw  through  this  nretense  of 
friendship  on  Pope’s  part,  and  resolved  to  let  him  reap  the  benefit  of  his 
officiousness.  Therefore,  in  his  majestic  vsy  he  commissioned  Steele  to  -rite 
the  following  letter  to  the  publisher  of  the  "Remarks  on  Cato:" 


(31)  Dennis,  "Letters  Familiar,  Loral,  and  Critical,"  Londonl721,  I,p.56. 

(52)  "In  the  "Remarks"  Dennis’s  shrewd,  independent  observation  frequently 
breaks  through  his  respect  for  the  rules,  then  so  generously  accepted  in  judging 
the  merits  of  a play.  In  his  regard  for  the  unity  of  place  Addison  had  confined 
his  various  scenes  of  conspiracy,  senatorial  council,  and  love  making  all  to 
the  hall  of  the  governor  of  Utica's  palace,  a weakness  which  Dennis  was  quick 
to  ridicule." 

Paul,  "John  Dennis," 


P.  68 


... 


. 


z ; a 


. 

. 

. 


- i 


■ 


■ 


43 


August  4,  1713. 

" Mr.  nintot, 

Mr.  Addison  desires  me  to  tell  you  tiiat  he  wholly  disapproves  the  manner 
of  treating  Mr.  Dennis  in  a little  pamphlet  by  the  way  of  Dr.  Norris1 s account. 
When  he  thinks  fit  to  take  notice  of  Mr.  Dennis's  objections  to  his  writings, 
he  will  do  so  in  a way  that  Mr.  Dennis  will  have  no  reason  to  complain  of. 

But  when  the  papers  above  mentioned  were  offered  to  be  communicated  to  him,  he 
said  he  couldfleither  in  Honour  or  in  Conscience  be  privy  to  such  a Treatment, 
and  was  very  sorry  to  hear  of  it. 

I am.  Sir, 

Your  very  humble  Servant, 

Richard  Steele,  " 

It  was  not  until  September  10,  1714,  over  a year  later  that  Add  son  replied 

to  Dennis  in  the  "Spectator."  He  knew  the  policy  of  literature  too  well  to 

direct  the  attention  of  the  public  to  the  criticism  of  an  enemy,  which,  though 

sometimes  over  zealous,  was  often  infrangible.  This  paper  was  his  discussion 

of  modern  cities,  in  which  he  censured  those  writers  who  make  it  a rule  to  fall 

(33) 

vehemently  upon  every  successful  play.  He  enforced  his  argument  by  an  attack 
upon  the  critic’s  own  plays,  few  of  which  had  "ever  been  disgraced  by  a run  of 
Three  Days."  Then  as  a final  shot  he  declared  tiiat  "the  words  Unity,  Action, 
Sentiment,  and  Diction  pronounced  with  an  air  of  authority,  gave  them,  «*  the 
Critics,-  a Figure  among  unlearned  Readers,  who  are  apt  to  believe  tiiat  they  are 
deep  because  they  are  unintelligible." 

There  were  comparatively  few  personalities  exchanged  in  this  difference,  and 
it  is  quite  probable  that  Congreve  had  no  great  difficulty  in  persuading  Addi- 
son, in  1717,  to  subscribe  to  the  old  critic's  works.  Nor  was  Dennis  ungenerous 

(35)  "Cato"  had  other  honors;  it  was  ©ensured  jy  an  Oxford  scholar  as  a narty 
play  and  it  was  acted  at  Oxford  three  times  before  a crowded  ho  re  w'  great 
applause.  And  Tickell  says  it  "was  acted  in  most  of  t-.e  languages  of  Christen- 
dom." Addison's  "Y/orks."  Preface,  p.9. 


. V 

. 

' 


. 


■ 

■ 

, 


- . ....  . ... 


■ 


44  . 

in  his  praise  of  Addison  after  the  latter’s  death.  He  said  of  Addison  that 

he  "was  certainly  a Learned  and  Ingenious  Man:  And  several  of  the  "Tatlers" 

and  "Spectators"  which  were  writ  by  him  deserve  the  applause  they  met  with.” 

Addison  attempted  to  explain  the  charm  of  the  old  ballads  of  "Chevy  Chase" 

(34) 

and  "The  Child  in  the  Wood",  and  subject  them  to  the  rules  of  neo-classicism* 

In  this  work  Addison  was  attempting  to  judge  a class  of  literature  by  a stand- 
ard that  had  no  application  to  folklore,  and  thereby  brought  upon  himself  the 
wrath  of  the  old  critic.  Dennis  declared  that  poetry  accomplishes  its  end 
through  figurative  language  and  harmony,  and  that  these  qualities  were  not 
found  in  the  ballads  praised  by  Addison,  To  substantiate  his  statement  he  quot- 
ed Horace,  Hatpin,  and  3oileau;  he  even  compared  passages  from  t e ballads  with 

excerpts  from  Virgil,  dealing  with  similar  subjects,  to  shot?  t e lack  of  harmony 
(35) 

in  the  ballads.  In  this  attack  Dennis  forgot  to  futility  of  such  r comn^riron 
of  works  quite  different  in  their  nature.  To  Addison’s  statement  that  ell  neo- 
pie  enjoyed  ballads  he  retorted  that  the  rabble  might  judge  tue  debased  but  an 
education  was  necessary  to  enjoy  the  exalted.  This  attack  was  utterly  ignored 
by  Addison. 

In  Addison’s  most  pretentious  critical  work,  the  Saturday  papers  on  "Paradise 
Lost",  he  is  indebted  to  Dennis  who  had  championed  the  Puritan  poet,  anticipat- 
ing by  a dozen  years  much  of  the  appreciation  that  has  been  frequently  credited 
(36) 

to  Addison.  Dennis's  criticism  of  .-.ddison’s  "Paradise  Papers"  appeared  in  1721. 
The  old  critic  was  not  angry  but  he  was  hurt  at  the  treatment  he  had  received 
from  Addison,  and  he  had  ample  cause  for  his  attitude.  He  says,  "Some  persons, 
who  long  since  the  publication  of  the  forementioned  treatises  - (Remarks  on 
Prince  Arthur;  The  Advancement  of  Reformation  of  Modern  Poetry;  etc.J  - began  to 
write  notes  on  "Paradise  Lost,"  have  made  peculiar  mention  of  the  same  Beauties 

(34)  "Spectators",  74,  75. 

(35)  Dennis,  "Original  Letters."  p.  166, 

(36)  Paul,  "John  Dennis",  p.  189. 


45. 

which  I have  marked,  out  before,  without  making  any  mention  of  me.  Though  you 
know  very  well,  sir,  that  I can  bring  unquestionable  proof  that  those  persons 
had  read  the  forementioned  Treatises,  and  read  them  with  applause;  but  I should 
not  be  the  least  concerned  at  the  treating  me  so  unfairly,  if  they  had  done 
justice  to  Milton,  thru'  the  course  of  their  criticisms." 

That  Addison  was  indebted  to  Dennis  seems  quite  probable  nr  Denni:  -md  or'-is- 
ed  a number  of  the  passages  Addison  used  and  had  insisted  upon  tne  sublimity 
of  Milton  in  quite  the  same  manner  as  did  Addison.  On  this  point,  however, 
Addison  may  also  be  indebted  to  Defoe,  who  in  his  "Jure  Divino,"  1706,  had  call- 
ed attention  to  the  grandeur  of  Milton,  so  that  Addison  might  not  have  had 
Dennis  particularly  in  mind.  But  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  praise  of  Dennis 
influenced  Addison  in  this  work. 

In  some  of  his  critical  theories  Dennis  was  in  advance  of  his  age  and  far 

in  advance  of  Addison;  for  example,  he  stoutly  maintained  that  emotion  should 

be  the  basis  of  poetry  as  an  indication  of  the  exaltation  and  inspiration  of  the 

poet.  This  theory,  .directly  opposed  to  the  classical  spirit  of  the  age,  earned 

for  him  the  derisive  name  of  "Sir  Longinus."  Dennis  also  held  the  modern  theory 

that  poetry  should  be  considered  and  studied  as  a product  of  a creative  mind. 

(37) 

"Like  Addison  he  accepted  in  the  main  the  psychology  enunciated  by  Hobbes  and 

he  attempted  to  apply  it  in  an  explanation  of  the  nrocess  of  literary  creation 

(33) 

many  years  before  Addison  took  up  the  discussion  of  the  imagination,"  The  fact 
is  that  in  some  respects  Dennis  was  far  superior  to  Addison  or  any  of  hir 

(37)  Hobbes  had  defined  the  imagination  as  "conception  remaining  and  little  by 
little  decaying  from  and  after  the  act  of  sense"  and  had  maintained  (laid  III, 
p.  6)  "that  images  are  either  simple  or  compound,  and  that  the  Drain  or  spirit 
being  stirred  by  divers  objects  ©omposeth  an  imagination  of  divers  conceptions 
that  appear  single  to  the  sense." 


(38)  Paul,  "Dennis"  pp  131  - 13£ 


: 


. 


. 


46. 

contemporaries  as  a critic  and  he  probably  influenced  both  Addison  and  Pope 
more  than  either  would  have  oared  to  admit. 

Soon  after  the  appearance  of  "Spectator"  number  40,  in  which  Addison  set 
forth  his  dramatic  theories,  Dennis  made  an  attach  upon  them.  Addison  maintain- 
ed that  on  account  of  the  nature  of  its  ending,  tragi -comedy  was  less  effective 
than  tragedy.  He  also  stated  that  it  was  the  product  os  the  English  stage 
alone.  Dennis  took  up  the  matter  at  once  end  oointea  out  that  several  plays 
used  by  Addison  as  illustrations  of  pure  tragedy  or  comedy  were  examples  of 

tragi-comedy.  He  adds  that  the  "Spectator"  is" vitally  mistaken  if  he  thinks 

(39) 

Tragi-comedy  is  the  growth  of  our  English  Theatres."  He  admitted,  however,  that 
an  unfortunate  ending  is  more  effective  than  a happy  one,  out  he  did  not  deny 
the  use  of  the  latter  as  Addison  had.  Furthermore,  he  took  Addison  to  task  for 
deliberately  "poisoning  the  town  with  false  ideas  of  tragedy"  in  preparation 
for  his  own  "Cato."  The  fact  that  Addison  set  forth  these  ideas  of  tragedy  is 
certain  but  ills  motive  is  uncertain. 

It  is  possible  that  Addison  was  not  aware  of  Pope’s  authorship  of  the  attack 
on  Dennis  when  he  commissioned  Steele  to  write  to  the  Critic  clearing  Addison 
of  any  complicity  in  the  matter.  At  any  rate  there  was  no  direct  break  between 
Addison  and  Pope  at  this  time,  but  Pope  was  losing  favor  in  Addison’s  circle 
and  was  passing  to  that  of  Swift.  In  these  years  from  1712  to  1714  when  politics 
were  breaking  long  friendships  and  creating  factions.  Pope,  who  had  literary 
friends  in  both  parties,  tried  to  remain  neutral.  Such  a posit ion, however, 
seemed  practically  untenable,  and  on  the  publication  of  his  "Windsor  Forest"  in 
1713, he  became  definitely  allied  v/ith  the  Tories.  Addison  , who  understood  the 
Tory  influence  upon  Pope,  interfered  to  find  an  alternative  force  to  ettrsct 
Pope’s  attention.  The  greatest  desire  of  Pope's  life  was  to  be  recognized  as 
England's  greatest  poet,  a fact  that  Addison  understood  perfectly.  He  also 


(39)  Dennis,  "Letters,"  p.  419 


' 


. 


. 


, 


, . 


47, 

knew  that  an  alliance  with  either  party  would  interfere  wit  the  pttrinment  of 
this  desire;  therefore,  he  took  steps  to  prevent  any  distinct  avowal  of  politi- 
cal affiliations  on  Pope’s  part.  In  this  action  Addison  sacrificed  literary 

ambition  to  political  expediency,  for  he  had  no  desire  for  a literary  rival  and 

(40) 

consequently  he  had  no  particular  love  for  the  rising  young  poet.  Pope’s  pro- 
posed plan  for  the  translation  of  the  ‘'Iliad”  gave  Addison  the  opportunity  to 
interfere,  not  too  officiously,  in  Pope's  plans.  Therefore,  Addison  writes  to 
Pope  on  November  2,  1713:  "You  gave  me  leave  once  to  take  the  liberty  of  a 

friend,  in  advising  you  not  to  content  yourself  with  one  half  of  the  nation  for 
your  admirers,  when  you  might  command  them  all.  If  I might  take  the  liberty  to 
repeat  it, I would  on  this  occasion.  I think  you  are  very  happy  that  you  are 

out  of  this  fray  •{  i.e,  political  controversy  ) and  I hope  all  your  undertakings 

(41) 

will  turn  to  the  better  account  for  it.” 

Soon  after  the  Queen’s  death,  Addison  expressed  to  Jervis,  the  artist,  his 
desire  to  oblige  Pope  in  any  way  that  he  could,  but  Pope  received  these  advances 

coldly. 

(40)  ”1  don’t  think  the  great  Mr,  Addison  liked  young  Mr,  Po ->e,  the  Pspist,  much; 
I don’t  think  he  abused  him.  But  when  Mr.  Addison’s  men  abused  Mr.  Pope,  I don’t 
think  Addison  took  his  pipe  out  of  his  mouth  to  contradict  them,” 

Thackerary,  "Works, ""English  Humorists,”  Beacon  ed.  N.  Y.  XXIII,  53  - 54. 

(41)  Pope’s  "Works,”  VI,  402. 

Warton  also  has  an  anecdote  concerning  "Windsor  Forest,”  to  the  effect  that 
Addison  was  very  much  chagrined  both  as  a poet  and  politician.  As  a politician 
because  it  celebrated  the  treaty  of  peace  which  he  deemed  pernicious  to  the 
liberties  of  Europe;  and  as  a poet  because  it  excelled  in  poetic  value  his 
"Campaign." 

Courthope,  "Addison,"  "English  Men  of  Letters,"  5,  p.  84,  questions  the 
authenticity  of  the  anecdote.  He  thinks  Addison  was  non-partisan  in  his  literary ; 
judgment  but  Stevens,  "Politics  and  English  Journalism,"  1702  - 1734,  p.22,  in 
a more  recent  study  of  the  subject  is  of  the  opinion  that  Warton*  s story  is  true, 
and  the  circumstances  make  the  opinion  seem  reasonable* 


. 

\ 

• « • > 

, 

. f ' 

. 


♦ 

. ■ 


• - f 

. 

» 


48. 


However  , in  October  of  this  same  year,  1714,  he  wrote  a polite  letter  to 
Addison,  hoping  that  their  late  coolness  had  worn  off  and  asked  him  to  look  over 
the  first  two  books  of  his  translation  of  the  ’’Iliad.”  A little  later  they  met 
at  Button*  s,  where  Addison  asked  Pope  to  dine  with  him,  and  after  dinner  he  told 
Pope  that  Tickell  had  a translation  of  the  first  book  of  the  ’’Iliad”  ready  for 
publication  and  wished  him  to  look  it  overi  he  begged,  therefore,  to  be  excused 
from  looking  over  Pope’s  work.  Then  Pope  asked  him  to  read  his  second  book, 
which  Addison  did,  returning  it  with  high  praise.  They  were  on  friendly  terms 
again,  but  this  renewed  friendship  was  short-lived. 

Pope’s  first  volume  appeared  in  June,  1715,  and  in  the  same  -eek  Tickell’s 
translation  was  published,  with  an  explanation  that  it  ws  merely  to  oes^erk 

ll 

sympathy  for  a proposed  translation  of  the  Odyssey  to  appear  later.  Tne  two 
works  were,  very  naturally,  compared,  and  Pope’s  anger  was  again  aroused.  Gay, 
to  add  fuel  to  the  fire,  wrote  to  Pope  on  the  eighth  of  July  that  Garth  bid  him 
say  that  every  one  was  pleased  with  Pope’s  work,  except  a few  at  Button’s,  and 
that  Steele  had  told  him  that  Addison  had  said  that  Tickell's  translation  was 
the  best  that  ever  was  in  any  language.  Thereupon,  Pope  wrote  very  bitterly  of 
Cato  and  his  little  Senate  at  Button’s.  He  said:  ”1  translated  Homer  for  the 

public  in  general,  ha,  to  gratify  the  inordinate  desires  of  one  man  only.  We 
have,  it  seems,  a Great  Turk  in  poetry,  who  can  never  bear  a brother  on  the 
throne;  and  has  his  mutes,  too,  a set  of  nodders,  winkers,  and  whisperers, 

(42 ) 

whose  business  is  to  strangle  all  other  offsprings  of  wit  in  their  birth.” 

He  also  maintained  that  Philips  and  others  were  encouraged  to  abuse  him  by  say- 
ing that  he  and  Swift  were  attempting  to  undermine  the  reputations  of  Philips, 

Steele,  and  Addison.  Then  he  declared  there  had  been  underhand  work  done  in  the 

(43) 

translation  of  "^ickell’s  version. 

(42)  Pope,  ’’Works,”  London  1751,  VII,  299. 

(43)  In  the  dedication  of  the  'Drummer"  to  Congreve,  in  1722,  Steele  r oke  of 
Tickell  as  ”the  reputed  translator  of  the  first  oook  of  ^omer,”  out  Steele 
was  vexed  with  Tickell  at  this  time.  There  is  little  douot  tnat  Tickell  trans- 
lated the  work  published  under  his  name. 


* 


. 

• ■ 

- * • 

» 

- r 


- 


'•9. 

Pope’s  resentment  grew  till  he  finally  sent  Addison  trie  bitter  liner  pub- 
lished some  years  later  as  a character  of  Atticus.  Addison  after  receiving 
these  lines,  took  occasion  in  his  ’’Freeholder"  to  speak  of  Pope’s  Homer  in  the 
most  friendly  terms,  nevertheless.  Pope  did  not  hesitate  to  quote  and  ridicule 
a passage  '•f  Tickell’s  translation  as  Addison’s  work;  though  on  the  other  .iand, 
in  the  last  of  the  ’’Moral  Essays,"  he  associated  Addison* snane  with  that  of 
Virgil. 

"Or  in  fair  series  laurelled  bards  he  shown, 

A Virgil  there,  and  here  an  Addison." 

This  was  the  end  of  Pope’s  and  Addison’s  literary  relations.  They  drifted  apart 
Pope  to  Swift’s  circle,  while  Addison  became  more  and  more  engrossed  in  politics 
and  his  own  affairs.  In  later  life  Pope  was  very  anxious  to  show  that  he  had 
enjoyed  the  friendship  of  a man  so  generally  beloved  as  Addison,  and  also  to 
show  that  he  had  been  treated  with  injustice  if  not  downright  treachery  in- 
spite  of  his  own  generous  actions.  According  to  Pope  his  lines  on  Addison  were 
investigated  by  a communication  from  Addison* s step-son,  & highly  improbable 
story.  Pope  further  declared  that  he  had  sent  a copy  of  Atticus  privately 
to  Addison  preferring  to  tell  him  of  his  faults  to  his  face  rather  thrn  nublic- 
ly.  In  this  attack  he  admits  Addison’s  excellencies  which  serves  to  shrruen 
and  raise  the  attack  from  the  level  of  the  lampoon  to  that  of  a masterpiece  of 
satire.  This  encounter  with  Pope  and  his  record  of  it  is  the  only  black  page 


in  Addison's  quite  spotless  career.  It  started  investigations  that  have  not 
always  been  to  the  credit  of  Addison, 


■ 


; i & * - * 

* 

• - .TiJ  - . •;  . 


* 


, V 

' 


, . . . 1 

-i 


50. 


| 

CHAPTER  IV 

ADDISON* S POSITION  IN  HIS  AGE 
IN  SUMMARY  AND  CONCLUSION 

In  many  notable  respects  Addison  was  the  most  important  literrry  figure  of 
his  age.  This  position  was  accorded  him  for  learning,  especially  in  the 
classic  literatures}  his  genius  for  making  and  retaining  friendships;  his 
political  position  and  influence;  and  his  general  literary  aoility.  He  was  a 
typical  Oxford  man  of  his  age,  with  his  interest  in  politics,  literature,  and 
devotion  to  the  classics.  His  college  had  a pride  and  enthusiasm  for  him  that 
were  fervid  throughout  his  entire  life  and  which  still  burn  steadily. 

During  his  Oxford  residence  he  made  important  political  friendships  with 
two  of  the  great  Whig  leaders,  Halifax  and  Somers.  These  men  exercised  a potent 
influence  upon  the  career  and  fortune  of  Addison.  Through  his  writings  lie  ob- 
tained his  first  official  position  and  his  patrons  in  return  for  his  political 
aid  secured  promotion  for  him.  Thus  he  became  a master  in  his  party,  a leader 
and  director  of  the  minor  literary  men  among  the  Whigs,  and  rose  from  one  polit- 
ical position  to  another  until  he  reached  the  sumnit  in  the  Secretaryship  of 
State.  Consequently  he  stands  as  the  best  example  in  the  history  of  English 
literature  of  a state  official  who  raised  himself  to  his  political  prominence  by 
the  employment  of  his  pen.  The  chief  recommendations  of  Addis  Ion  in  noli  tics 
were  his  discreetness  and  conservatism.  He  was  ruled  by  a sound  judgment  and  p 
common  sense  view  of  life.  These  qualities  mude  him  a reliable  m:n  in  the 
ranks  of  his  party,  and  one  upon  whom  it  was  safe  to  confer  positionsof  author- 
ity. Furthermore,  he  possessed  a characteristic  not  found  among  any  of  his 


: - . . { 

\ 

- 


. 

. 


. - . r 


• f . « r • : 


. 


' . . 


t!) 


51. 


literary  contemporaries,  namely  a keen  facility  for  sizing  up  and  unobtrusively 
directing  the  actions  of  men  with  whom  he  c&mein  contact. 

With  his  great  contemporary  Swift,  Addison  had  no  very  clore  literary  relr- 
tionst  their  intimacy  came  rather  from  personal  regard  for  each  other.  Their 
acquaintance  and  friendship  began  early  in  the  century  and  lasted  tnrougnout 
Addison’s  life,  although  rather  intermittently  after  Swift  allied  nimself  with 
the  Tories.  Swift  loved  Addison,  as  did  most  of  his  acquaintances,  and  gave 
expression  to  this  affection  in  the  "Journal  to  Stella;1'  "Hr.  Addison  and  I 
are  different  as  black  and  white,  and  I believe  our  friendship  will  go  off  by 
this  damned  busines  of  a party;  he  cannot  bear  seeing  me  fall  in  so  with  this 

(I) 

ministry;  but  I love  him  still  as  well  as  ever,  though  we  seldom  meet."  or 
the  letter  of  almost  a year  later  in  which  Swift  says;  "I  know  no  man  half  so 
agreeable  to  me  as  he  is."  But  nowhere  is  there  a similar  record  from  Addison 
after  their  political  difference. 

Like  Addison  Swift  was  a party  leader  but  he  was  more  of  a man  of  affairs 
than  was  Addison,  whose  record  as  a public  official  was  far  from  brilliant. 
Addison  was  a scholor  and  at  heart  a literary  man  rather  than  a politician.  He 
was  never  quite  at  home  in  the  midst  of  the  strife  of  political  debate.  Swift, 
however,  was  just  the  opposite;  no  man  enjoyed  the  direction  of  party  policies 
better  than  he  did;  nor  did  any  high  state  official  ever  exercise  a more 
imperious  dictatorship  than  the  Lean  did  in  his  work  with  the  Tory  leaders;  he 
gave  orders  to  ministers  of  state;  he  browbeat  the  caoinet  officers  and  peers 
of  the  realm;  he  openly  insulted  anyone  who  opposed  him..  But  for  all  tnis 
authority  he  was  unable  to  secure  for  himself  any  suitable  reward  from  the 
state.  And  at  last  after  months  of  unremitting  toil  he  retired  to  Lublin  "to 
die"  as  he  said,  "like  a poisoned  rat  in  a hole." 

(I)  "Journal  to  Stella,"  Bohn  ed.  pp75,  242. 


► 

- 

v . ::  i 


~ ' • 


. 


. 


52 


In  notable  contrast  with  Addison’s  almost  purely  personal  relations  with 
Gwift  were  the  almost  wholly  literary  ones  he  bore  with  Dennis,  I’hey  lived  on 
peaceable  terras  until  the  old  critic  attacked  Addison* s dramatic  theories  and 
productions.  It  is  quite  true  that  Addison  did  not  answer  this  attack  at  once, 
but  the  fact  that  he  did  reply  about  a year  later  and  then  with  considerable 
asperity  is  sufficient  evidence  that  he  recognized  the  power  of  his  adversary. 
Dennis,  himself,  had  attempted  drama  and  failed  and  this  failure  lessened  the 
effectiveness  of  his  criticisms.  Furthermore,  Dennis,  who  had  rather  soured 
upon  the  world,  had  a peculiar  satisfaction  in  finding  the  blemishes  in  the  pro- 
ductions of  his  contemporaries#  All  of  these  considerations  made  the  criticisms 
of  the  old  critic  of  little  importance  in  the  estimation  of  the  general  puolic. 

In  regard  to  their  political  fortunes,  Dennis,  who  was  a violent  ”rhif:.  never  se- 
cured any  prominence  as  an  office  holder  although  he  wrote  constantly  n oehalf 
of  his  party#  Again,  Addison's  prosperous  life  is  notable  as  a contrast  with 
the  bitter  disappointment  and  struggle  against  poverty  by  his  older  contemporary# 
In  his  literary  relations  with  the  little  papist  poet,  Addison  came  the  near- 
est to  using  the  methods  of  some  of  his  contemporaries  in  their  literary  battles# 
Both  Pope  and  Addison  wished  to  be  considered  the  chief  figure  in  the  literary 
world.  Addison  was  prominent  as  a prose  writer  and  only  moderately  successful 
as  a poet.  He  had  already  made  his  name  in  poetry  when  Pope  began  to  write  and 
it  was  in  this  field  of  verse  that  Pope  first  contested  with  Addison.  2herefore 
when  Addison  criticised  his  poetic  works  Pope  thought  this  criticism  was  largely 
due  to  jealousy  and  did  not  hesitate  to  egress  this  opinion.  A sure  means  to 
arouse  Pope’s  enmity  was  the  praise  of  a rival  poet's  works.  Addison  was  well 
aware  of  this  and  used  it  in  regard  to  the  productions  of  his  proteges,  Tickell 
and  Philips.  Whether  Addison  praised  the  work  of  his  friends  with  the  intention 
of  arousing  Pope's  jealousy  is  an  open  question,  but  it  would  seem  that  he  v?es 
not  averse  to  diminishing  the  younger  poet’s  feme. 


' 


’ 

. 

, 

r - ... 

■ 

* 

* 

. 

. 


53. 


In  their  literary  relations  both  Pope  and  Addison  were  more  or  less 

blinded  by  literary  vanity;  as  Pope  had  not  Addison's  self-oontrol,  he  has  quite 

justly  oome  in  for  the  lion's  share  of  censure  for  their  disagreements.  They  were 

( 2 ) 

both  so  eager  to  be  oounted  first  in  the  literary  world  that  they  forgot  that 
they  were  laboring  in  different  fields,  and  that  eaoh  might  be  master  in  his  par- 
ticular sphere.  Then,  too,  Addison,  who  was  older  and  held  an  assured  sooial 
and  political  position,  had  no  reason  for  his  jealousy  of  Pope,  who  had  nothing 
to  depend  upon  but  his  pen.  Pope  with  all  his  faults  has  never  been  aooused  of 
one  thing  that  Addison  did:  as  Dr.  Johnson  said,  "he  never  set  genius  to  sale,  he 
never  flattered  those  whom  he  did  not  esteem."  Thus,  he  of  all  this  group  esoaped 
this  badge  of  servility.  Unlike  Addison,  however,  Pope  had  no  hatred  for  moral 
evils,  his  only  hatred  was  for  those  who  attacked  his  plaoe  in  literature.'-^  ^ 

It  is  not  given  every  writer  to  make  himself  beloved  as  well  as  admired 
as  did  Sir  Walter  Soott,  but  Addison  and  Steele  succeeded  in  doing  this  to  a re- 
markable degree.  Addison  was  perhaps  less  successful  than  Steele  because  his 
very  goodness  and  mummy-like  aloofness  made  him  less  human  and  therefore  less 
loved  by  posterity.  His  goodness  had  about  it  a negative  quality,  and  despite  the 
fact  that  he  was  involved  in  these  numerous  quarrels  he  had  the  faculty  of  avoid- 
ing the  rousing  of  real  enmity.  This  goodness  shows  in  his  personal  and  literary 
relations  with  his  contemporaries.  He  was  never  wrong:  he  never  admitted  any 
short -coming,  and  for  these  reasons  he  is  sometimes  irritating  to  the  present  day 
reader  and  must  have  been  very  irritating  to  those  who  knew  him  personally. 

(2)  "Addison  was  so  eager  to  be  the  first  name;  that  he  and  his  friend  Sir  Riohard 
Steele  used  to  run  down  Dryden's  oharaoter  as  far  as  theyloould.  Pope  and  Con- 
greve used  to  support  him."Tonson,  Spenoe,  "Anecdotes,"  pp  114-115.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  Spenoe  disliked  Addison. 

(3  ) "He  practioally  never  thinks  for  himself  or  sees  for  himself,  while  except 
in  some  touohes  of  personal  affeotion  and  many  more  of  personal  resentment  and 
spite,  he  soaroely  ever  feels  for  himself."  Saintsbury,  "Peaoe  of  the  Augustan 
Age,"  p.46. 


' 


. 


. 

■ 


' 


■ 


5<  • 

Steele  was  a novice  in  the  game  of  great  men  which  Ado  ron  pl-ycd  very  success- 
fully and,  everything  considered,  very  honestly.  In  his  political  grme  Addison 

was  aided  by  great  men  but  it  was  only  when  he  came  to  play  Steele's  game  and 

(4) 

in  Steele’s  manner  that  he  gained  immortal  fame,  Steele  was  a ''shuttle  cock,  on 
the  battledore  of  chance,”  a striking  figure,  and  one  that  it  is  impossible  to 
picture  alone.  He  was  active  in  every  line  of  endeavor  in  his  age,  The  treat- 
ment he  received  at  the  hands  of  his  friends  would  never  have  been  submitted  to 

(5) 

by  Addison,  whose  bump  of  self-esteem  was  enormous. 

The  importance  of  Addison  among  his  contemporaries  was  in  a sense  extra-liter- 
ary for,  though  he  took  up  a definite  attitude  toward  the  esthetic  principles  of 
his  time,  he  was  interested  not  so  much  in  their  academic  discussion  and  theory 
as  in  their  adjustment  to  life.  He  perhaps  realized  in  a fuller  and  more  practi- 
cal way  than  his  contemporaries  did  the  two  fundamental  ideas  of  the  classic 
doctrine  of  taste  - the  one  of  restraint,  ’temperance,*  selection  in  the  literary 
purpose ;the  other,  arrangement,  propriety,  harmony  of  all  parts  of  the  literary 
scheme.  These  he  expressed  in  the  correctness  of  his  prose,  in  his  development 
of  the  short  essay,  the  unity  of  the  plan  of  the  "Spectator”  paners,  in  his 
effort  to  avoid  over-elaboration  in  his  character  protraiture  of  the  club  mem- 
bers, and  the  not  too  frequent  use  of  a particular  vein  of  wit  or  homily.  Thus 
far  he  is  in  agreement  with  most  of  his  contemporaries,  but  they  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Steele  confined  their  critical  purpose  to  literature,  and  there  almost 
exclusively  to  technique.  But  he  extended  the  application  to  manners,  society, 
politics,  mere  scholarship,  or  popular  religion.  All  of  these  special  questions 
of  reform,  literary,  social,  and  moral  he  connected  and  related  to  the  broader 
issues  of  classicism.  This  range  in  his  critical  work  is  the  factor  that  gives 

(4) ”I  claim  to  myself  the  merit  of  having  extorted  excellent  productions  from  a 
person  of  greatest  ability,  who  would  not  have  let  them  appear  by  any  other 
means.”  Steele,  "Spectator,  ” no.  532. 

(5)  "fio  the  excessive  modesty  of  Addison’s  nature  we  must  ascribe  another  fault 
which  generally  arises  from  a very  different  cause.  He  became  a little  too  fond 
of  seeing  himself  surrounded  by  a small  circle  of  admirers,  to  whom  he  was  as  a 

king, or  rather  as  a god.”  Macaulay,  "Works,  ” VI,  125. 


55. 

him  a unique  place  among  his  contemporaries,  owift  became  irritated  by  his  gos- 
sip about  the  fair  sex.  He  could  not  see  the  scheme  ^ddison  had  in  mind,  or 
foresee  the  effect  upon  society  as  a whole.  After  all,  this  difference  between 
Addison  and  his  contemporaries  was  only  one  of  method.  He  was  in  direct  opposi- 
tion, however,  to  the  general  tone  of  his  age  in  his  refusal  to  share  its  pessi- 
mism. neither  could  he  enjoy  thfc.  - gargantuan  coarseness  of  conduct  and  artistic 
expression  which  is  so  uncouthly  opposite  the  elegancies  of  the  time.  Contenpory 
writers  speak  constantly  of  Good  Sense,  True  Wit,  Good  Breeding;  but  none  of  them 
realized  perhaps  so  fully  as  did  Addison  the  meaning  of  these  terms.  There  was  a 
studied  moderation  in  the  attacks  of  Addison  for  which  one  looks  in  vain  in  those 
of  Pope  and  Swift,  who  anathematized  their  victims  as  dunces  and  yahoos.  It  was 
not  Addison’s  humor,  although  this  was  of  great  importance,  irony,  or  *,v  t,  but 
his  tolerance  that  led  the  public  to  accept  gracefully  his  censor shio  of  its 
manners  and  morals.  He  was  a dogmatic  adviser  to  whom  nothing  was  too  trivial 

to  come  under  his  direction  from  their  intellectual  ^na  social  life  to  me 

(6) 

advisability  of  talcing  cold  baths  and  a diet  of  beef  and  mutton.  To-day  sucn  a 
self-imposed  censor  would  be  received  with  derision;  out  Addison’s  public  far 
from  resenting  it,  sougnt  his  direction  eagerly.  Addison's  statement  tnat  he 
had  driven  from  his  native  land  many  ridiculous  fashions  and  much  degrading 

ignorance  is  entirely  justifiable.  He  was,  in  the  deepest  sense  of  the  phrase, 

vV 

a civiling  force. 

A 

On  the  whole,  with  due  regard  for  the  acts  of  his  life  that  are  not  wholly 
commendable,  we  can  very  justly  apply  the  words  of  Addison  himself  to  his  life, 
work,  and  relations  with  his  friends,  ’’When  we,  therefore,  choose  our  compan- 
ions for  life,  if  we  hope  to  keep  both  them  and  ourselves  in  good  humor  to  the 
last  stage  of  it,  we  must  be  extremely  careful  in  the  choice  we  make — When  the 


(6)  ’’Guardian”  no.  102.  ’’Tatler11  X4S 


. • 


- 


56 


persons  to  whom  we  join  ourselves  oan  stand  an  examinat ion,  and  bear  the 
sorutiny,  when  they  mend  upon  aoquaintanoe  with  them,  when  they  disoover  new 
beauties  the  more  we  searoh  into  their  oharaoters,  our  love  will  naturally  rise 
in  proportion  to  their  perf eotions Addison  has  borne  the  sorutiny  for  nearly 
two  oenturies  and  there  have  been  few  dark  spots  revealed,  on  the  whole  he  has 
proved  himself  a serene  and  noble  spirit,  and  for  those  who  love  the  good  in 
literature  he  has  beoome  a companion. 


* 


57 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Addison,  "Works,"  Bohn  edition,  London,  1911,  Vols.  I - VI. 

"Addisonia,"  Philips  pub.  London,  1751,  Vols.  I - II. 

Aiken,  Lucy,  "Life  of  Joseph  Addison,"  London,  1843,  Vols.  I - II. 

Aitken,  Geo.  "Life  of  Richard  Steele,"  London,  1889,  Vols.  I - II. 

Aitken,  Geo.  "Life  and  Works  of  Arbuthnot,"  Oxford,  1892. 

Ashton,  John,  "Social  Life  in  the  Reign  of  Queen  Anne,"  Hew  edition, 

London,  1911. 

Beljame,  A.  "Le  Public  et  Les  Homines  De  Lettres,"  “ osep'n  Addison."  pris,  1397. 
"Cambridge  History  of  English  Literature,"  Lew  York,  1913,  Vol.  I 
Clark,  J.  Scott,  "Study  of  English  Prose  Writers,"  Hew  York,  1900. 

Courthope,  W.  J.  "Addison,11  "English  lien  of  Letters,"  VI,  Hew  York,  1905. 
Dennis,  John,  "Studies  in  English  Literature,"  London,1883. 

Dennis,  John,  "Original  Letters,"  .London,  1821. 

Dictionary  of  Rational  Bibliography,-  Addison,  Defoe,  X0^011*  Pope*  Steele, 

Swift. 

Dilke,  C.  W.  "Papers  of  a Critic,"-  Pope,  Swift*  London,  1875,  Vol.  I. 

Drake,  Nathan,  "Essays,"  London,  1805,  Vols.  I - II. 

Forster,  "Life  of  Jonathan  Swift,"  Rev/  York,  1876. 

Genest,  "History  of  the  Drama  from  1660  - 1830,"  London,  1832,  II. 

Hunt,  T.  V/.  "Studies  in  English  Literature  and  Style,"  IT.  Y.  1881. 

Jacob,  "Memoirs  of  Joseph  Addison,"  London,  1719. 

Johnson,  "Lives  of  the  English  Poets,"  Hill  ed.  Oxford,  1905,  Vol.  II. 
Macaulay,  "Works,'*1  "History  of  England,"  Vol.  I ; "Essay  on  Addison,"  Vol.  II. 

Connoisseur  ed.  Phil.  1398. 

Minto,  7/.  "Defoe,"  "English  Men  of  Letters,"  IT.  Y.  1895. 

Montgomery,  H.  R.  "Memoirs  of  Sir  Ricnard  Steele,"  Euin.  1865* 


. 


. 


. 


, . 


, . .ftadSni 


Paul,  H.  G.  "John  Dennis,"  New  York,  1911. 

Pope,  "Works,"  London,  1751,  Y,  VII. 

Saintsbury,  George,  "Peace  of  the  Augus tans," London,  1916. 

Sichel,  W.  "flolingbroke  and  His  Times,"  London,  1901,  Vols.  I - n. 

Spence,  Joseph,  "Observations,  Anecdotes,  amd  Characters  of  Books  and  Men, 

London,  1820. 

Stephens,  Leslie,  "Pope,"  "English  Men  of  Letters,"  New  York,  1906. 
Stephens,  Leslie,  "Swift,"  "English  Men  of  Letters,"  New  York,  1906. 
Stevens,  D.  H.  "Party  Politics  and  English  Journalism,"  1702  - 1742. 


Swift,  "Works,"  "Journal  to  Stella," 


Chicago,  1916. 


3ohn  ed. , London,  1908 


